Nnamdi Kanu pulls out of talks with southeast governors in response to military aggression

INDIGENOUS People of Biafra (Ipob) leader Nnamdi Kanu has pulled out of planned talks with the South East Governors Forum in response to the recent altercation with the military that saw armed troops attack supporters near his compound.

Last  month, the governors met with Mr Kanu and it was agreed to continue talking as a means of resolving the thorny matter of secession, which is highly popular across the southeast at the moment. Over the last 48 hours, however, there have been two brutal clashes between the Nigerian Army and Umuahia, near Mr Kanu's home.

Mr Kanu had met with the governors at the Enugu State Government House on August 30 and both parties agreed to hold further talks to seek an amicable resolution to the issues raised by the pro-Biafran group. Another meeting was scheduled to hold between Mr Kanu and the governors on Friday, September 15 but in a statement he personally signed, the Ipob leader said he would no longer continue with the talks.

He blamed the development on an alleged plot by soldiers to assassinate him while on his way to the meeting with the governors. Mr Kanu also alleged that he was currently attending to his injured and bereaved followers, who had allegedly fallen victim to attacks by the military in the course of the ongoing Operation Python Dance, started by the Nigerian Army in the southeast.

According to Mr Kanu, Ipob leaders intend to meet to vote on whether to drop their non-violent approach and instead use force to confront the Nigerian Army. He explained that the prevailing situation in the southeast was not conducive to meaningful discussions with the governors.

Mr Kanu said: “In view of the concerted effort by the oppressive Nigerian state to shatter the peace and tranquillity of the southeast and the rest of Biafraland through military intimidation, it has become necessary for me to clarify why, regrettably, I may not be able to attend Friday’s meeting with the southeast governors as earlier agreed, for three main reasons. We are currently busy attending to our dead and injured from this latest round of unprovoked military onslaught against innocent civilians in our own land.

"All the casualties so far were shot by men of the Nigerian Army deployed in my house and those stationed along motorways leading into Umuahia, my hometown. I have been reliably informed also that a detachment of this same soldiers, responsible for the murder of innocent unarmed Ipob family members, have now been stationed near Enugu to ambush and assassinate me on my way to the meeting with the governors on Friday."

A few hours before Mr Kanu’s statement, the Rivers State Police Command alleged that one Sergeant Steven Daniel was killed by Ipob members. Ahmed Zaki, the Rivers State police commissioner, said Sergeant Daniel was shot dead by Ipob members during the crisis in the Oyigbo Local Government Area.