Nnamdi Kanu Withdraws From Dialogue With South-East Governors

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has withdrawn from planned talks with the South-East Governors Forum.

Kanu had on August 30 met with governors of the five states in the South-East, and both parties agreed to hold further talks scheduled for later this week.

However, in a statement signed personally by the IPOB leader, Kanu said he is backing out of the talks.

He blamed his decision to quit on an alleged plot by men of the Nigerian army to assassinate him on his way to Enugu for the meeting on Friday.

The IPOB leader also disclosed that he was currently attending to his injured and bereaved followers, who had fallen victim to attacks by the military in the course of the ongoing ‘Operation Python Dance 2’, launched by the Nigerian Army in the South-East.

In addition, Kanu said leaders of the IPOB worldwide will convene an emergency meeting to decide if they should continue their struggle in a non-violent way or defend themselves by confronting the military.

The statement reads in part: “Before now, prominent leaders and groups had insisted that I tow the line of peaceful dialogue and meet with the governors to find a lasting solution to our grievances.

“I conceded to that request which led to the 30th of August 2017 meeting with the South-East Governors Forum at the Government House in Enugu, in the company of the very eminent Prof. Ben Nwabueze and Evangelist Elliott Ugochukwu-Ukoh.

“In view of the concerted effort by the oppressive Nigerian state to shatter the peace and tranquility of the South-East and the rest of Biafraland through military intimidation, it has become necessary for me to clarify why, regrettably, I may not be able to attend Friday’s meeting with the South-East governors as earlier agreed, for three main reasons.

“1.) We are currently busy attending to our dead and injured from this latest round of unprovoked military onslaught against innocent civilians in our own land. All the casualties so far were shot by men of the Nigerian Army deployed to my house and those stationed along motor ways leading into Umuahia my hometown.

“2.) I have been reliably informed also, that a detachment of … soldiers responsible for the murder of innocent unarmed IPOB family members have now been stationed near Enugu to ambush and assassinate me on my way to the meeting with the governors on Friday.

“3.) On that same Friday the 15th of September 2017, the leadership of IPOB through the instrumentality of the Directorate of State (DOS) headquartered in Germany, will be meeting to vote on the viability or otherwise of continuing our struggle in this non-violent manner. There is urgent need to begin the process of defending ourselves in the face of relentless murderous attacks from the Nigerian state.”