Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Okey Sampson, Aba
The Presidency has dismissed controversial leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu’s threat that he is returning to the country “with hell,” assuring that there is no cause for alarm.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, described Kanu’s outburst as a mere distraction which will not be allowed to threaten the cordial relationships between Nigeria and other countries.
Kanu, had disappeared last year after clashes between his supporters and soldiers involved in a military exercise, Operation Python Dance in Abia State.
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IPOB supporters had accused the military of killing their leader. His trial for felony was also stalled due to his absence as his lawyer insisted he was either killed or kidnapped by soldiers, who attacked his family house during the military exercise.
The separatist leader, however, appeared in a video last Friday; with his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, saying he had since spoken to his client who apparently escaped from the country.
Although the video showed him in Israel, the Israeli government has said Kanu had not entered the country recently and the video could be an old one.
Kanu later did a broadcast last Sunday from his hideout.
“I’ve returned full-time and I’m coming back home. I’ll bring hell with me,” Kanu said in the broadcast monitored on the IPOB Facebook page.
He insisted on his group’s demand for a referendum for Igbo to determine if they want to be part of Nigeria or a separate Biafra country.
But Shehu, in the statement said “the Presidency wishes to restate that Nigeria, under President Muhammadu Buhari, is strong enough to defend its territory against any threat.
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“Instead, we see the re-enactment of his bizarre, episodic threat as a mere distraction, which will not be allowed to detract from the existing cordial relationships between Nigeria and other countries. The Buhari administration is in constant touch with other friendly nations and has the best assurances that they would continue to reciprocate the respect Nigeria has for the sovereignty of their nations.
“Nigerians have nothing to fear.”
Meanwhile, Kanu’s family has accused former publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, of using the party’s former youth mobiliser, Deji Adeyanju, to pull down Kanu and destabilise IPOB.
In an interview, spokesman of the family, Emmanuel Kanu, referred to a statement allegedly credited to Adeyanju, where he was reported to have said uncomplimentary things about the IPOB leader.
“Deji Adeyanju, former PDP youth mobiliser said over the weekend that Nnamdi Kanu surfaced in Israel because he was broke financially and that if the IPOB leader steps into Nigeria, he (Adeyanju) will personally fight and destroy him.
Again, isn’t this the same Igbo mentality we are all talking about? Why will the so called IPOB leader’s family blame the one time PDP scribe (who is now incomunicado by the way) for the utterances of another person? When and where did this happen and what is the evidence? The people challenging your son and his entire household is the FG not these individuals you are now pointing fingers at including one of your own as well – always, Igbo mentality – attack your own. The incurable Pull Him Down (PhD) disease – if it is not me, let it be no other. Tufia kwa unu.
Too much of defending their Nigeria territory indeed. But when is Mallam Garba Shehu and his Principal, our rogue Fulani President ,Mallam Muhammadu Buhari going to liberate our entire North East from the Boko Haram and the Middle Belt from the murderous and rampaging Fulani Herdsmen and Militia ?
Aren’t the North East and the Middle-Belt parts of Nigerian territory to be defended?
Perhaps the South, particularily our Lower Niger Region is worth defending because of its rich gas and oil deposit that sustain the Hausa/Fulani beggar folks and parasites of the North.
Mallam Garba Shehu should not forget that his Fulani cattle driver folks are alien sojourners here in our fatherland.
Oh yes! The Fulanis are nomore Nigerians than the Afrikaans (Boers) are South Africans.
Chief Deji Adeyanju, seems to have forgotten that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his IPoB
are Biafran with a legitimate quest and right for the Restoration of our Sovereign
State of Biafra.They bear no arms against the State nor do harms to others.They go
about their agitation in a peaceful manner.
If you are really brave and bellicose like you sound, why not go and confront the Boko Haram,Fulani herdsmen and Miltias up in the North East and Middle Belt.
You are but a damned coward ,who is bitting more than he can chew jare!