Kanu’s Whereabouts Unknown After Military Attack On Home - Emma Powerful

The Director, Media and Publicity, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Emma Powerful, on Thursday said the whereabouts of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group, is unknown after a detachment of soldiers fired several shots that lasted for three hours and broke into his home in Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State.

A statement issued by Powerful, the group states that “soldiers occupied the entire compound and shot for about three hours.”

Adding that heavy casualty figures were recorded in the process and that the dead mostly included members of the organisation guarding Kanu’s home.

According to him, “A lot of members of IPOB are believed to have died and the soldiers took away their bodies.

The dead ones are mostly those who were protecting our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. And ever since our leader’s whereabouts is unknown.”

He further disclosed that the soldiers were overheard saying they got orders from the Federal Government to get Kanu dead or alive.

As at press time, “Nobody knows whether Kanu is among the dead,” Powerful said.
Condemnations Trail Army’s ‘Operation Python Dance II’ In Abia



Meanwhile, condemnations have trailed the prosecution of ‘Operation Python Dance II’ in Abia State by the Nigerian military.

The operation as declared by the army is intended to check kidnapping, banditry, assassination, secessionist activities within the region, among other forms of criminal activities.

However, since Sunday, this week, several persons have been reportedly killed and many injured in Aba and Umuahia following the operation.

On Sunday, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) alleged that three of its members were killed and about 30 others injured when soldiers allegedly attacked the Afara Ukwu, Umuahia country-home of Nnamdi Kanu, its leader.

Over 50 heavily armed soldiers on Tuesday invaded the Aba Road secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), smashing laptops, iPads, cameras, and phones belonging to journalists. They also assaulted some of them.

Several persons were also on Tuesday feared killed following clash between soldiers and members of IPOB in Aba, the commercial city of Abia State around Ariaria Market area and on Aba-Umuahia Expressway soldiers allegedly forced some youths wearing insignia of Biafra to roll in the mud and later killed them.

Following the pandemonium on Tuesday at Ariaria Market and environs Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Aba.


Senators representing Abia South and Abia North, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Mao Ohuabunwa, respectively; a human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Anthony Agbazuere, as well as a university don, Uwaoma Uche, have called on the Federal Government and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, to call off ‘Operation Python Dance II’ and withdraw the military from the South East.

In separate statements in Umuahia, Abaribe and Ohuabunwa said there were no major threats to lives and property in the South East that could warrant the assault on innocent and defenceless people of the zone, particularly in Abia State, saying that such unwarranted attacks and killings by the military of innocent people was unacceptable to Ndigbo.

The senators condemned the alleged wanton killings going on in Aba, noting that the invasion of Abia territory in the guise of stopping secessionist threat was a ploy to get back at Ndigbo for whatever reason.

Uche, who said he was woken up in Aba by sporadic shooting of guns last night, described the activities of the military in Aba as genocide.

He called on the international community to investigate the killings and call President Muhammadu Buhari to order by asking him to withdraw the troops he brought to the South East particularly Abia State.

I couldn’t sleep last night, it was hell. It was like a war zone in Ariaria axis of Aba. The military are killing people without arms; people whose agitation is non-violent. Please the president should withdraw the troops from the South East zone particularly Abia immediately,” he added.

Agbazuere in his statement said, “The killings are “evil, anti-people, not reconciliatory and a declaration of war ab initio”.
Don’t Turn South East To War Zone

South East Elders Forum expressed worry over the face-off between members of IPOB and the military, saying the region has been turned into a theater of war.

Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Convener of the forum, said in Nnewi, Anambra State that the elders were talking about the one that happened in Umuahia on Sunday only to receive news of fresh confrontation between the soldiers and members of IPOB in Rivers and Abia states where some civilian casualties were reportedly recorded.

Dr. Ikedife said it was worrisome that the situation might escalate to an uncontrollable situation that would lead to loss of many lives and property with tension created in the South East zone.

He noted that it should not appear like expeditious or punitive army turned against citizens they were paid to protect, adding that in a democratic dispensation the army had full command at the barracks and war fronts, “but South East geopolitical zone is not a war zone.”