The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked President Mohammadu Buhari to reconsider his latest stance on the release of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
President Buhari had promised a delegation of Igbo elders that he would consider their request to release the IPOB leader.
But during an interview with Channels TV, the President changed tone, saying Kanu’s treasonable felony case should run its course.
But in a statement from its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB accused those it referred to as some foreign-based traitors and enemies of its struggle as responsible for Buhari’s change of mind.
It urged the President not to allow himself to be deceived by sacked members of the group peddling fake information about its security outfit for pecuniary interests.
The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria that he will not release our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We know that this position by Buhari after he had earlier promised a delegation of Igbo leaders that he would consider their appeal to consider a political solution for Kanu, was not unconnected with the visit by some foreign-based traitors and enemies of our struggle.
“Our intelligence captured what transpired in a meeting between these saboteurs and their host in Aso Rock.
“In the evil meeting the sabotures and traitors concluded with the presidency that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should not be released, claiming erroneously though, that IPOB and ESN has been defeated which is lies.
“But we want to tell Buhari and his co-horts that he is going to make a mistake capable of consuming Nigeria should he fail to release Nnamdi Kanu because these bunch of criminals he had meeting with were not giving him correct information about IPOB and ESN outfit.
“Why should the Federal Government be releasing bandits and terrorists wrecking havock across the country but fail to release freedom seekers.
“Federal Government should not be deceived by black legs and sacked members of the Movement who are feeding it with fake information about IPOB and ESN outfit for pecuniary interests.
“IPOB is too big for them to comprehend and they could not fantom IPOB and its operational strategy when they were in IPOB, we don’t want to mention their names.
“The people who visited him promised to help him crush IPOB and ESN but unfortunately they cannot achieve that, actually they will be disappointed.”
While assuring its leader’s capability to defend himself in court, the secesionist group urged Buhari and his government to be careful, neutral and non-interference to court proceedings.
It added: “Our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB will defeat them both local and international court, the only thing that can save him and his Nigeria is referendum date for the people of Biafra because the world is keenly watching.
“If they have case against him let them come straight to the court not from the backdoor.
“Buhari…should reconsider their stance concerning the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They should heed the voice of reason instead of holding an innocent man without any justifiable reason.
“IPOB is a well recognised freedom fighting movement in the world and we will shock everyone in the country if we exhaust our patience because we listened to the elders and religious leaders and decided to pipe low.
“Buhari, APC and those traitors who visited him towards the end of December 2021 to feed him with lies about IPOB should be held responsible.
“Nobody can defeat ESN and IPOB. We will fight for the struggle for freedom of Biafra till the last man. Biafra restoration is a divine mandate and nobody can scuttle it.”
