*Journalists should ask Kanu’s lawyers, family, not Army, for his whereabouts – Citizens
Against the milieu created by cry, on Sunday, by younger brother of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of terrorist Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Prince Emmanuel Kanu, of a “loot by soldiers” in his royal family of Afara-Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State, the Nigerian Army has said there was nothing like loot as no household items were carted away as claimed by the crier.
The Army spoke just as some Concerned Citizens from other parts of Nigeria expressed wonder that the Afara-Ukwu Palace can now cry loud against the treatment of enforcers of law and order in checkmating the society rots they had comfortably encouraged for long even while many reasonable Igbo people had called on them to caution their son who chose to lead an affront against Sovereign State of Nigeria.
They said, “For Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, who was not in other planet while his elder brother was perpetrating the treason he was doing against Nigeria, to now be calling on international communities to prevail on Nigerian security agencies for doing their job is an insult and tantamount to he being taken to be part of the crimes.
“How come you will commit crimes against a country where you live and which can determine your life and death only for you to be whipping sentiments to attract the sympathy of international communities? To come and do what against Nigeria? To remove President Buhari or wage war against Nigeria simply because some few criminals born in a palace and encouraged by both the palace and elites of their region are taking arms against the country of Nigeria? You should remember that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and so cannot be moved by any of your sentiments expressed to seek sympathy of any foreign collaborator,” they said in some of their reactions to The DEFENDER’s inquiries.
In a media report on Sunday, the younger brother of the terrorist IPOB leader, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, had reportedly told journalists in a telephone interview that troops of the Nigerian Army raided the palace “even when the military was yet to account for the whereabouts of his brother and leader of IPOB,” a claim which exposed disparity in information coming from the Kanus over the purportedly missing of Nnamdi.
It would be recalled that former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kanu, had said in widely publicized interview that a very reliable family of the Kanus confirmed to him that the terrorist group leader, Nnamdi, had escaped through Malaysia to the United Kingdom.
It would also be recalled that lead counsel of the Kanu, who had been fronting for him on his regular briefing in the court of a country he persistently called “a Zoo”, had following the Kalu’s interview indicated his client’s readiness to back down for Buhari with a view to negotiating with his Federal Government.
It is therefore said by many to be smack of inconsistencies on the part of Kanus “if they at this time, after all the things they have said which sane people saw through as meaning that their theory of missing Nnamdi Kanu was a mere farce, they still claim the military is yet to account for the whereabouts of their son and brother. If any of them dares say this any longer, the Nigerian security agencies have responsibility to check him or her because no one should be tolerated to feel free selling falsehood and nonsensical continuously to the public of our beloved country. It could be antithetical to the desired national security, peace and unity,” a respondent said.
According to the media report being reacted to, it was learned that the said Sunday operation was carried out by the police with back-up by soldiers.
Emmanuel Kanu alleged that during the raid, household items, including television sets, generating sets, clothes, among other belongings of the royal family of Afaraukwu Ibeku were carted away by “the invaders” carted away. Kanu claimed that the palace was “looted” during the raid, and called on the international community to prevail on the Nigerian security forces to stop further raiding of his father’s palace and to also account for the whereabouts of the IPOB leader.
But a Desk Officer of Operation Python Dance in charge of Operation Python Dance II in Abia State, who refused to disclose his identity, reportedly confirmed the raid in a telephone interview but maintained that it was a joint operation with other security agencies.
He however, denied that household items were removed from the home of the Kanus, saying that “the things removed may be technical items” and that “somebody was arrested with weapon in the compound”.
According to him, the joint operation was based on intelligence report at the disposal of the security agencies which he said indicated that arms were hidden in the compound.
The report further disclosed that enquiries made at the 82 Division, Nigeria Army, Enugu, directed the reporter to Abia State Police Command for information on the raid but that phone calls put across to the Abia police Commissioner, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi was not through as his number was said to be unavailable while the spokesman of the Command Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, did not pick his call when called.
Last week the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, described leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, as a “certified 419ner” without means of livelihood.
This was even as he said those following the separatist leader were in what he called a “one-chance vehicle.”
Usman, giving a closing remark at the end of a two-day media workshop for the Directorate of Army Public Relations, held in Abuja, insisted that Kanu was a criminal waiting to face the wrath of the country’s law over his crimes against it.
“The man is a certified 419ner, and that is why those of them following him have entered into one-chance vehicle,” he said, adding: “I try as much as possible not to say anything in the media because I know it would be subject to so many misinterpretations.”
“This is somebody standing trial in a criminal case, whether we like it or not, we want to stand against the truth, no matter how long, the truth will come to pass on the 17th,” he said, referring to the October 17 date the IPOB leader has with an Abuja High Court.
“This is an individual without means of livelihood. If I speak, and so what? I can speak eloquently and I can speak like him and also have my own group, that’s exactly what is happening,” he insisted.
“So, what is the essence of our education as a people and as humans? You know that somebody is a criminal and you believe in him,” he fumed.
The Army spokesman expressed dismay with people seeking to know the whereabouts of the IPOB leader from the Army, asking why they can’t ask his supposed lawyer or his younger brother, who he said, openly said in the media that his brother was into hiding.
“There was an allegation, somebody went to hide. Initially they said 20 people died, then they said five people died, and this and that. And I have addressed the issue of the video. “Now, I can’t remember the day, but anybody who watched the Channels interview, Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother said that he was in hiding and he knows where they are.”
And one lawyer came up that he has taken the Chief of Army Staff to court. Now, who gave you the brief? You said you do not know where he (Kanu) is. Now, who gave you the brief? And the media is asking us where is Nnamdi Kanu, why not ask the man that so, who gave him the brief to take people to court when he does not know where the man is?”
He further said. He regretted that the Army was always put on the defensive when it shouldn’t have been so.
