Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Family of leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has raised the alarm over alleged heavy military presence at their hometown, Afaraukwu, Umuahia, Abia State.

Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who raised the alarm on behalf of the family, yesterday, said for some days, military personnel have been patrolling their Isiama Afaraukwu community when there was no crisis in the area.

Prince Kanu in a telephone interview claimed that the presence of the soldiers has threwn members of the community into panic.

According to younger Kanu, the presence of the soldiers who equally passed through their house heightened the fear of residents and their kinsmen who feared they could be carrying out surveillance on their compound.

Although he said nobody had so far been arrested, Kanu said they were not comfortable with the presence of the military in the community that was yet to recover from the shock and trauma of 2017 invasion.

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He claimed that several lives were lost during the invasion.

“We don’t want what happened at Lekki to happen again in our community.”

He called on the military authorities not to deploy soldiers to the peaceful community to avoid intimidation and harassment of innocent residents and indigenes.

However, military authorities in the  state have dismissed Kanu’s claim.

A source at the 14Brigade Headquarters who spoke anonymously wondered why Kanu was agitated at the presence of soldiers who were carrying out their legitimate duties.