From: TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has restated the demand for referendum for the South Eastern to become an independent nation, declaring that the region would not be Islamised.

Kanu reiterated his earlier position that election would not take place in Igboland, especially the scheduled November 18, governorship poll in Anambra State to press demand for Biafra.

He made the declarations yesterday, as he addressed thousands of pro-Biafra enthusiasts, who gave him a rousing welcome in Oyigbo, near Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The venue was St. Peters Catholic Church in Oyigbo Local Government area.

The IPOB boss said that the Anambra State election would serve as the first experiment in the resolve of IPOB supporters to make a powerful statement that they were no longer interested in one Nigeria.

A huge crowd from across Port Harcourt, and some neighbouring states welcomed Kanu, who arrived the venue quietly.

The IPOB leader said that he wanted Biafra to be actualized “today”, but informed the crowd that Biafra would be achieved through a process, and that the first step in that process would be the boycott of the Anambra election and other elections in Biafra land.

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“So, election will not hold in Anambra State and other states in Biafra. That is what the people have agreed on, and there is no going back,” he declared.

He maintained his position to sustain the Biafra struggle, stressing that the struggle was to save the destiny of future generations.

According to him, Biafra people had been marginalized by the Nigerian government, and there was need to redeem the Igbo from such injustice and inequality.

Kanu led the agitators in a prayer session for the liberation of ‘Biafraland’, vowing that he would not be alive to see any part of Igboland Islamized by government.

Meanwhile,  the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni,  a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP),  confirmed the visit of the leader of the IPOB to the state.

He told Saturday Sun yesterday, that the command got intelligence report and put adequate security in place to forestall violence.

“We are aware of his (Kanu) visit to Rivers State.  We got intelligence report of his visit and we put adequate security in place, to ensure that the people did not take laws into their hands”.