Why I went after Ekweremadu, by Nnamdi Kanu

The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has released a lengthy statement in which he claimed that the role played by former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in an alleged attempt to assassinate him informed the attack on him by its members in Nuremberg, Germany.

Last Saturday, the Enugu-West Senatorial District representative in the Upper Legislative chamber was physically assaulted and his dress torn as he attempted to enter the venue of a cultural festival organised by the Ndigbo in Germany (NIG).

Ekweremadu on Monday returned to Abuja and said he has forgiven his “misdirected and misguided” attackers.

The NIG apologised to him, while the federal government, through the embassy in Germany called for the prosecution of his attackers.

But in a statement signed by IPOB spokesman and titled, SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THE ACTIVE ROLE IKE EKWEREMADU, NNIA NWODO, DAVE UMAHI, OKEZIE IKPEAZU, ROCHAS OKOROCHA, WILLIE OBIANO & IFEANYI UGWUANYI PLAYED IN THE PLOT TO ASSASSINATE ME AND KILL OUR DREAM OF FREEDOM THROUGH THEIR OPERATION PYTHON DANCE [Part 1], Kanu merely accused the lawmaker of attending the meeting of the South-East Governors with the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo at the Enugu Government House two years ago..

The full statement by the leader of the proscribed group reads: “These men mentioned above instigated, financed and defended a full-scale bloody military invasion of Biafraland they tagged Operation Python Dance that led to the torture and untimely death of over 600 Biafrans, 28 of which fell in my compound.

“These men sanctioned the desecration of the home of an Igbo tradition ruler by Fulani soldiers and did not care if my father HRM Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and my mother, who were home with me during the unprovoked invasion, is killed or not. All these desperate Igbo politicians ever wanted was my death, the death of IPOB, the death of our dream of freedom for all.

“In view of the Nuremberg encounter, it has become necessary for us to refresh our memories lest it succumbs to confusion and deliberate misinformation because most people, unlike we IPOB, are in the habit of excusing intolerable evil and wickedness but we (are) not. Every perpetrator of evil, every purveyor of iniquity, every merchant of misery and eveey defender of injustice must and will be held to account. We will (not) relent until justice is served.

“The Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, read the resolution with Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to his left and Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State to his right.

“The South-East Governors Forum held a meeting at Government House in Enugu over the increased tension in the region after what they mischievously termed Sunday’s clash between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

“At the end of the meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo John Nwodo, they arrived at 11 resolutions which include a ban on IPOB activities and an appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw soldiers from the region.

“Below is the statement read by the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State Dave Umahi at the end of that meeting:

“In view of the prevailing situation in the South East and its attendant consequences, the South-East governors hereby resolve as follows:

1. All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed. IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the committee of Governors of South East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and National Assembly members from South-East zone through the Chairman of South-East Governors Forum.
2. All governors of South East are expected to ensure compliance in their respective states.
3. The South-East Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly Members do hereby reinforce their commitment to one united and indivisible Nigeria.
4. We also reinforce our desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all national issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian.
5. We reiterate our earlier position that the November 18, 2017, Gubernatorial election in Anambra State must hold.
6. Accordingly, we appeal to our President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to, please, withdraw the military in the South-East Zone while the police perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order within this period.
7. South-East governors have taken concrete steps to protect the lives and properties of non-indigenes in the South East and, of course, including the lives and properties of indigenes in the South-East as well.
8. We are in touch with the Northern Governors Forum and they have assured us of the safety of all our people living in the North and we have also planned for exchange of visits between the governors. This is to reinforce the confidence of Nigerians in this regard.
9. In keeping with our earlier position, we wish to assure Nigerians that full investigation is ongoing and all allegations of killings, maiming and other unlawful conduct in the South-East Zone within this period. The governors and the security agencies are in agreement that appropriate action will be taken against anyone culpable.
10. We advise all residents of the South East to go about their normal businesses as the government of each state is committed to protecting everybody.
11. Finally, we advise our people in the South East to, please, be law-abiding”.