By Uchenna Ezeadigwe, Awka and Austin Chuma, Enugu
Smarting from what he described as the genocidal attacks by killer herdsmen and the activities of terrorists especially in Igbo land, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed his readiness to die for the realization of a sovereign state of Biafra.
He was particularly miffed at the recent attack on members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Orlu by Nigerian military and the apparent culpability of the government of Imo State in failing to protect the people from being pounded by agents of Nigerian government.
Kanu, speaking in a live broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored by one of our correspondents, said that he’s ready to stand trial at the International Criminal Court, (ICC), in the Hague, if defending Biafrans against unprovoked attacks and killings herdsmen and terrorists would warrant his appearance at the international court.
The IPOB leader spoke just as the militant wing of his organization, the Biafran National Guard, has vowed to disrupt the November governorship election in Anambra state unless their members arrested and detained by the Nigerian security agents were released.
Kanu regretted that harassments and extrajudicial killings by security agencies have continued unabated across Biafra land, a situation he described as unacceptable.
The IPOB Leader said that the world had maintained criminal silence over the plight of Biafrans despite complaints and petitions by IPOB as well as indicting reports against the Nigerian Authorities and security agencies by some reputable global agencies including the UN reporter on human rights and Amnesty International.
He said that besides state-sponsored persecutions and brazen infuriating marginalization and exclusion against Biafrans, killer herdsmen and terrorists have continued to raid communities in the region unchallenged by the security agencies.
“Herdsmen will attack us, rape our women, destroy our farms, kill our farmers and nobody will arrest them but when we try to defend ourselves, government will come after us rolling out the tanks and using their helicopter gun boats”, he fumed.
The IPOB Leader who said that the Orlu military raid marked the beginning of the second Nigeria/Biafra war vowed to mobilise the people in defense of their ancestral land “no matter the consequences”. ” If defending our ancestral land against conquest by Fulani Janjaweed invaders will take me to the Hague, I am ready to go to the Hague”, Kanu thundered.
Continuing he said: “The world has the indicting report by the UN Reportuer against Nigeria but they have not done anything. Do we have to wait until we are all killed before we defend ourselves?”
He said he would declare 40 days prayer and fasting by next week for Biafrans all over the world to seek God’s presence, and for more spiritual fortification for the task ahead.
Meanwhile agitators for an independent state of Biafra under the auspices of “Biafran National Guard”, the militant wing of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have threatened to disrupt 2021 Anambra governorship election if Nigeria government declines to free their members detained by the country’s security forces.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Spokesman of the pro-Biafra group, Nsikak Akpan, said that the refusal by the government authorities to release the separatists would lead them to take over the state.
Akpan revealed, “these Indigenous Biafrans whose human rights and fundamental freedom have continually, grossly being abused in the Onitsha and Awka prisons are: Uche Idikaigbo, Michael Okezie, Uchenna Nicholas, Peter Igbokwe, Ikechukwu Aghara, Mrs. Onyekachi Orji, Miss. Okwudiri Bassey, Chima Asor and Chinweike Irondi”
“Others are Sabastine Amadi, Casmir Odakara, Ojemba Anyanwu, Eni Kalu, Ndubisi Okam, Ikechukwu Chikwem, Emmanuel Orji, Chukwuma Kalu, Chidiebere Chikwem and Mmaduabuchi Asika.
Akpan further explained that the purpose of forming the transitional parliament is, among others, “for the cultivation of familiarity between the Biafran Armed Forces and the civilian populace.”
According to him, it would enable the smooth shift from the ongoing transitional government to the Biafran provincial government which is the independence of the sovereignty of Biafra.
“Biafran transitional parliament will be led by the head of the Upper Chamber’ and the ‘Principal of the Lower Chamber’. The mode of appointment of these officers will be the prerogative of the Provisional Representatives”, he said.
The statement further reads in parts: “The official inauguration of the Provincial Representatives and appointment of Officers of the Upper and Lower Chambers shall be held at a later date to be announced”
“The Biafran Transitional Government implores the people of Biafra to continue with their unwavering support for the restoration of the sovereignty of our beloved nation.”
“This is to remind all and sundry that these Biafran prisoners of conscience unjustly detained in the Onitsha and Awka prisons for over fifteen (15) years must be unconditionally released and acquitted of all charges before the first quarter of the year 2021.”
