•Biafra Day: FG, Igbo govs may scuttle May 30 anniversary –IPOB

From Chidi Nnadi, Enugu And Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has described the bail conditions handed down to leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Kanu, by Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja High Court, as celebrated rascality.

President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who declared this yesterday after the National Executive Council meeting of the group said though they are happy Kanu has been released, his bail conditions are unprecedented in the judicial history of the country in their rigidity, unconstitutionality and stringency.

Nwodo, therefore, said the group would go to the court to contest them as well as ask for their review.

“We do not believe that anyone of those who contributed to the framing of those conditions expected them to be met. It is also clear that having met them, the intention would now be to re-arrest him.

“If he cannot be in the company of more than 10 people, it means he cannot go to church, he cannot travel in a bus or plane carrying more than 10 people. He cannot work the street lest his presence attracts the attention of more than 10 people. The bail condition is a celebrated example of judicial rascality,” Nwodo said.

The president general said he has consistently held that the attitude of the Nigerian government to the youths who are fed up with the country, makes Biafra agitation increasingly inevitable.

He, therefore, advised the Federal Government to address this urgently, saying “we anxiously await for Nnamdi (Kanu) co-accused persons to be also released on bail.”

He also said Ohanaeze has noted with sadness the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari and his incapacity to attend to important state functions.

Meanwhile, IPOB, yesterday raised the alarm that some individuals and groups suspected to be working for the Federal Government were meeting with certain Igbo governors to frustrate the annual May 30, Biafran Remembrance Day celebrations.

The group alleged that enemies of Biafra working with agents of the Federal Government had given out money for mobilisation to scuttle the annual event meant to honour fallen heroes of Biafra who died either during the civil war between 1867 and 1970 or those who lost their lives during the recent struggle.

A statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, warned  those he described as unscrupulous individuals masquerading as ‘agitators’ who are making frantic efforts to sabotage the Remembrance Day celebration of our fallen heroes and heroines, to retrace their steps. 

The statement read: “According to IPOB intelligence report, there are some groups and individuals who have, over the weeks been meeting with enemies of Biafra and certain Igbo governors, who gave them money to mobilise and frustrate our May 30, 2017 Remembrance Day. Some of these persons and groups don’t realise that it is their patriotic duty to honour those that fell in battle in defence of their freedom.”

“Our supreme leader, Kanu had the divine inspiration to institute the May 30 event back in 2014 at a public commemoration in our capital, Enugu. This annual event, which is now observed by Biafrans all over the world as a mark of perpetual respect to the bravery of the few men and women who stood for 3 years to resist the combined might of Britain, Egypt, Soviet Union and OAU is an event that cannot and should not be toyed with.

“If not for these men and women of the Biafran Army, the Biafran race, Igbo would have been wiped out from the face of this earth. We owe these heroes a great debt of gratitude which can never be fully repaid. Therefore, we must honour them. 

“Every member of IPOB must reach out to community leaders, market leaders, church leaders, Transport Companies, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Women Associations, Artisans, Tricycle/ Okada Union, Luxurious Bus Association of Nigeria (LUBAN), Nigeria Association of Lorries (9Loaders/911), Park Management in all the States in Biafraland to remember and honour of our falling heroes and heroines on 30th May 2017” Powerful stated. ENDS