The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to shutdown economic activities in the South-East if the Federal Government fails to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on or before August 8.
First News had reported that Kanu was recently arrested in Kenya in a controversial circumstance and extradited to Nigeria to face his trial bothering on treason. He had earlier jumped bail granted him, after soldiers invaded his house, and ran to England, where he is also a citizen.
But his group unhappy over the development, issued the ultimatum on his release from the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS), where had been since his arrest.
In a statement on Wednesday issued and signed by the IPOB’s Head, Directorate of State, Chika Edoziem, the group warned against any harm happening to Kanu.
He called on South-East governors and leaders, who he accused of playing part in the arrest and abduction of Kanu from Kenya, to pray nothing unpleasant happens to Kanu in detention.
The statement partly read, “The Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra is very much aware of the strategy of the government of Nigeria to subject the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra worldwide, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to media trial and to convict him in the public before giving him that public conviction, an official stamp of the compromised Nigerian judicial system.
“The global community knows that self-determination is not a crime; the Nigerian government knows equally that self-determination does not in any way constitute any known offence stipulated in their constitution and therefore do not have any case against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
“In recognition of the above facts and truths, the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra demands herewith an unconditional and immediate release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on or before August 8, 2021, failing which we shall commence a weekly lockdown of Biafraland, starting on Monday, August 9, 2021.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this total lockdown of Biafraland will take place every week until our leader is released unconditionally. This weekly lockdown is simply one of the measures we shall put in place to ensure that our leader is released hale and hearty.”