IPOB: Tension In Abia Ahead Of Kanu’s Parents’ Burial

Huge presence of officers and men of the Nigerian military and the police has been reported in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, ahead of the burial of the parents of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which comes up tomorrow Friday.

Residents who spoke to THE WHISTLER on telephone said soldiers and policemen had taken over the city, and the atmosphere has become tensed.

“There are security men in every part of the city and everyone is afraid of what could happen between today and tomorrow when the burial will take place,” a resident who did not want his name mentioned stated.

THE WHISTLER reports that the development has created apprehension among residents of the city due to the insistence of IPOB members to attend the burial ceremony against police advise.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Ene Okon had earlier warned members of the outlawed group to steer clear of the event, and threatened that the police would be ready to enforce its order.

Members of the group had returned the warning, asking the police not to arrest any of their member who attend the ceremony.

The group vowed to fully observe the burial rites despite the warnings, maintaining that its over 12 million members would attend the event.

In a statement on Wednesday, IPOB warned the police and other security operatives against high handedness during the burial.

 The release, signed by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, reaffirmed the commitment of the group to accord their leaders’ late parents full ‘recognition.’

The statement read, “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to reiterate in clear and unambiguous terms that what Nigerian police and army are planning to do in Afaraukwu during the burial of Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and his wife on Friday 14th of February 2020 will set off a chain reaction that Nigeria will never recover from.”

The group said any arrest of its member would incite a “disproportionate reaction” from the group, a threat many residents believe could be actualized.

The group also threatened the State police commissioner and others it called ‘traitors’ and ‘Caliphate slave’ if IPOB members were killed during the event.

“The era of Nigerian army and police shooting innocent mourners in Biafra land has come to an end. What is happening in Umuahia with the provocative presence of Nigerian army and police is an insult to the people of Biafra and the Igbo race in particular. All those that have in various ways supported the unprovoked murderous clampdown on IPOB will pay dearly for it.”