By Nnamdi Kanu Is Not In Our Custody- Nigerian Army, As Lawyer And UK Questions Whereabout Of IPOB Leader
For the past few days, the most asked question is the whereabouts of secessionists leader, Nnamdi Kanu whose last public appearance was on Thursday, September 14th before the Military proscription on Friday, September 15th. His residence was alleged to have been invaded by the troops of the Nigerian Army.
Just as the question lingers on, the Indigenous People of Biafra spokesperson and also the leader’s Lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor has disclosed that they have not been able to reach Kanu for over two weeks since the Military invasion. Joining the voice of inquiry is the Member of Parliament of of Camberwell and Peckham Constituency in the United Kingdom, Harriet Harman.
In all of this, the Nigerian Army, who has been alleged to be holding the secessionist leader in an unknown cell has debunked the reports stating that Kanu was not in its custody. This was made known by the Director of Defence Information, Major Gengeral John Enenche as he was speaking to journalists in Abuja. He explained that the military was not holding Kanu and that it was not the responsibility of DHQ to declare him wanted.
“Nobody raided Kanu’s home; not from the information I got, I was watching it live, I was monitoring it live and speaking with them (soldiers) on the ground.
“The people that came out from there (Kanu’s house) that I saw were the Biafra Security Service and Biafra National Guard. I think I later confirmed that there was nothing to actually justify the roadblocks mounted by IPOB. I saw the militancy, nobody told me and I saw the action there. We are still investigating.”
On the alleged proscription of IPOB by the military, Enenche said: “The military did not proscribe IPOB. Due process was followed. The job of the military is to diagnose security issues and warn the public of consequences and that is part of our media operations.
“We did our media operations very well, otherwise, that weekend would have been the longest weekend in this country and we were also very careful choosing our words; we know the law very well.
“People had mindset and they were in a hurry to attack the military because of their mindset. Because of that, it is a pity to say that some people lost their reputation.”
On Operation Python Dance II in the South East, Enenche said: “It is to enlighten them, educate them and make them aware about what the military has been doing and will continue to do.
“For your information, I was in that area and I served there 12 years ago. We have been carrying out several exercises in the same way with different code names; nothing like this came up. So, when they reflect on such things, it will encourage them.
“There were activities we carried out like medical outreaches; reaching out to the needs of people. The operation is not negative.”
Asked if the military would also launch another operation to tackle herdsmen and farmers clashes, which has led to brutal killings in many parts of the country, Enenche said there was no need for any special operation on the crisis, “given that the crisis is being handled by an ongoing operation.”
He maintained that the herdsmen and farmers conflict had already been tackled under “Operation Mesa.”
Enenche cautioned that there was the need to categorise “identified” herdsmen on one hand and “unidentified” herdsmen on another hand, and “let us not put to all of them together”.7
