From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Prince Emmanuel Kanu is the brother of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. 

In the interview, he took a swipe at the founder of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike over the latter’s allegation that the IPOB leader sent his Eastern Security Network (ESN) men to assassinate him.

He equally opined that ESN was not formed to fight Biafrans, but those he described as terrorists in Biafran land. Excerpts:

The founder of MASSOB/BIM, Chief Ralph Uwazurike recently alleged that the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, sent his men to assassinate him. Could you react to the allegation?

I will react to this with a question, What has lion got to do with a cockroach? It’s as simple as that.

Let’s be a bit serious, Uwazurike made a strong allegation that your brother sent killers to assassinate him. Could this be true?

One, my brother who is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has no time to respond to him (Uwazurike). Secondly, ESN (Eastern Security Network) as it is, has nothing to do with Biafrans. Our target is the terrorists who have come to occupy our forests. Maybe Uwazurike has issues with one or two persons who are politicians, he should go and settle it with them and leave IPOB/ESN out of it. We don’t see him as an enemy, but if he is a terrorist, he will be destroyed. He is not a terrorist, he is not an enemy, so, how would a sane person go after him? Not to talk of IPOB/ESN. That was why I said earlier that lion has no business with cockroach.

How do you react to other allegations Uwazurike made against your brother?

Which other allegations? I have reacted on the one I feel is relevant. Uwazurike feels he is no more relevant that’s why he is making noise, thinking with that he will become relevant again.

What’s your take on Uwazurike’s threat to arrest your brother if he steps into the country? Boasting he had done that before.

With such filthy environment, did you see his house? Who has given him such power to arrest the IPOB leader and take him to the forest he calls his home? Like I said earlier, Uwazurike is looking for relevance and he thinks by mentioning Nnamdi Kanu’s name he will get it, but he’s wasting his time.

Uwazurike also alleged that your brother was not genuinely fighting for Biafra, but was bought to scuttle his own movement. Is that true?

If Uwazurike had been honest with his agitation for Biafra, by now we would have long gone with the issue of Biafra agitation. The difference between him and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is that the IPOB leader has remained very consistent in his quest for Biafra restoration, whereas Uwazurike is after his personal interest. Let me tell you something, just like Nelson Mandela said, no freedom fighter stays in his home. Whether he is in prison or operating from exile, it’s as simple as that. So, as far as Uwazurike remains in Imo State where he built his mansion, of course, he should focus on his business and do it, he should leave Mazi Nnamdi Kanu out of it, he has no time for him. Nnamdi Kanu’s focus is on Biafra and nothing else.

Are you saying the IPOB leader never planned to assassinate Uwazurike?

For us, in our own world, Uwazurike is irrelevant, nobody talks about him, he is a noise maker, nobody has his time for now. He wants money, I keep saying this, each time he wants money you see him talk. So, if they give him money now, he will stop talking; he’s an attention seeker, that’s what he is.