IPOB Leader, Kanu Says Police Threaten Religious Freedom In Nigeria
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has reacted to the threat by the Nigeria Police Force to disrupt the burial of his parents, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Israel Okwu Kanu and Ugoeze Nnenne Kanu in Afara Ukwu community in Abia state, saying the police has become a threat to freedom of religion and association in Nigeria.
The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, Ene Okon had on Sunday issued a statement banning members of the outlawed group from attending the burial ceremony of Kanu’s parents.
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The statement reads; “Whoever thinks along that line is fooling himself. IPOB will dance during the burial and the police elephants will dance too.
“They (Afaraukwu community) should tell IPOB not go near the area, let alone participating in the burial.
“If the community fails to adhere to the police’s warning the burial will not go on smoothly because we are going to scatter the place. IPOB is proscribed by the Federal Government.”
Reacting in the late hours of Monday, Kanu wrote on his twitter account @MaziNnamdiKanu that; “Nigerian government ignores religious freedom and bans Jewish and Christian communities from attending my parent’s burial.”
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“We will not tolerate any flag, IPOB insignia or the group’s member disguising as Jewish or Zionist Church members during the burial,” he said.
Meanwhile before the ban by the police, IPOB had asked the Nigerian army and other security agencies to face the security challenges confronting the country in form of insurgency and kidnapping, instead of trying to stop IPOB members from attending the burial of Kanu’s parents.
The group had in December 2019 announced the death of Kanu’s parents through their spokesperson Emma Powerful, as they blamed the death on; “the trauma he (Israel Okwu Kanu) suffered during the invasion of his palace by Nigerian soldiers on September 14, 2017.”
