New Ipob leader Ezenachukwu Okwudili claims Nnamdi Kanu has fled to London with his British passport

NEWLY acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) Ezenachukwu Okwudili has declared himself the new head of the secessionist group and revealed that its former boss Nnamdi Kanu has fled to London using his British passport.

On September 14, the Nigerian Army visited Mr Kanu's home in Umuahia and Ipob claims that soldiers arrested their leader and have kept him incommunicado ever since. However, the Nigerian Army has denied this, claiming it does not know of Mr Kanu's whereabouts and the Ipob leader has not been seen in public or private since.

However, Mr Okwudili, claimed that Mr Kanu is now a fugitive who fled to London after soldiers visited his home using his British passport. Condemning Mr Kanu as a man misleading Igbo youths and inciting them to violence, Mr Okwudili said that under his leadership, all that will stop.

In a broadcast on Radio Biafra, Mr Okwudili said: “Those who benefited from inciting young Igbo youth to violence and death, the time of reckoning has come. We are putting an end to bloodshed while continuing with our struggle.

"Kanu has fled to London using his British passport and he is hiding after our successful takeover of the radio and Ipob leadership. Those who live by the sword know the final judgment, therefore people like Uche Mefor and his brother Mr Law Mefor along with Emma Powerful, should know that like the Robert Mugabe era, the Nnamdi Kanu era has come to an end."

He accused Law Mefor, the brother of Uche Mefor, Mr Kanu’s former deputy, of collecting money from Igbo traders and businessmen as under the pretence of being Ipob’s treasurer and converting the money to his personal use. It is not yet clear what Mr Okwudili intends to do about those still loyal to Mr Kanu.

“The time when rabble-rousers loot Ipob's  treasury, share it with their family and friends has come and gone. Money collected so far is in excess of N300m ($824,635) and we are still counting as information about contributors continue to trickle in,” Mr Okwudili added.