From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha and Geofrey Anyanwu, Awka
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm that its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was critically ill.
“We have warned before and will continue to warn that the world should pray nothing happens to our leader, because if his present illness gets worse, IPOB worldwide will not take it easy,” IPOB said in a statement by its spokespersons, Mr. Emma Mmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya.
This is even as it condemned alleged incessant harassment of its members.
The group claimed security agents have devised means of arresting and harassing its members, friends and relatives who visit Kanu in prison.
Kanu has been in detention at Kuje Prison, Abuja, since October 14, 2015, charged with treason.
Last month, there was a crisis at the prison resulting in a shoot-out, which IPOB alleged was a plot to kill the embattled helmsman of Radio Biafra.
IPOB alleged that during the Kuje Prison fracas, the prison authorities and the warders shot poisonous gas into Kanu’s cell to suffocate him.
“The canisters of poisonous gas with bullet shell have been shown to the British Government that visited our leader at Kuje Prison following the failed assassination attempt.
“We have in our possession incontrovertible evidence which has now been sent to the US for exhaustive analysis of the toxic chemical content,” the group alleged.
“The government cannot tell the world where Nnamdi Kanu and his members committed a crime but they are still holding him and some other members of the group in prison and security cells throughout the country.
“We are also asking the Federal Government of Nigeria to release our leader unconditionally because he committed no crime against humanity or any government,” IPOB added.