From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said they are not convinced at the defence put forward by the Kenyan Government on its alleged involvement in extraditing of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to Nigeria.
A statement by the media and publicity secretary of the Igbo separatist group, Emma Powerful, on Monday insisted that Kanu was betrayed by the Kenyan government because of their lust for the Nigeria oil.
Powerful accused the Kenyan Government of swapping Kanu for a promise of the Nigeria oil.
The IPOB spokesperson has also claimed that Kanu was tortured for 8 days without food before he was finally handed over to the Nigerian Government.
‘This denial is another smart but belated attempt to cover up their atrocity but, unfortunately for them, we already have incontrovertible evidence of how the dirty deal between Nigeria and Kenya was struck. Our intelligence gathering has revealed all those involved in this heinous crime,’ Powerful said.
‘The fact remains that Kenyan security forces abducted our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu at the Nairobi International Airport and tortured him for eight days. Our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was travelling with a British passport, contrary to claims by the Nigeria Government that our leader was not travelling with any Nigerian passport because he is not a Nigerian.
‘He was born in Biafra and he has since publicly renounced any connections with Nigeria.
‘From our intelligence, Kenya betrayed our Leader because of financial inducement and offer of oil by Nigeria. The negotiations were midwifed by the Nigerian Ambassador in Nairobi who bargained with President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenyan Immigration Authorities. Uhuru Kenyetta was blinded by the oil money offer and he consented to this wickedness.
‘We have it on good authority that Kenya police tortured our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for eight days without food. The Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ambassador to Nigeria should be ashamed of themselves for betraying an innocent man because of money. But we assure them that they will pay heavily for this treachery,’ Powerful threatened.
Powerful has also reiterated IPOB earlier directive to Ndigbo to boycott Kenya Airways, any business involving Kenya citizens or products made in Kenya.
Expressing his disappointment on the alleged action of the Kenya Government, Powerful added: ‘Kenya and her Government have shown Biafrans that they supported the 1967 – 1970 genocidal killing and annihilation of Biafran people.
While urging the people of Kenya to show their solidarity for Kanu on the betrayal by their country Powerful said “Kenyan citizens must rise up now and convince us that they are not in support of their President Uhuru Kenyatta and Government in this treachery. They must take action against Uhuru Kenyatta to prove to us their disapproval of this evil.
Powerful, reminding the Kenyan President of how his father was once harboured by the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, said ‘President Uhuru Kenyatta has bitten the finger that fed him. How quickly he has forgotten that his father Jomo Kenyatta ran to the late Dr Nnamdi Azikwe for refuge when he was fighting for his own freedom during their own colonial [struggle].
‘But today he is paying us back by choosing to support a terrorist Government against Biafra. He will never escape the reward of Judas,’ Powerful said.