Nnamdi Kanu: Obiozor, Our Ally; Will Fish Out Those Who Bombed His House

By Adesina Soyooye

The detained Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has decried the bombing of the country home of Professor George Obiozor, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Obiozor’s House in his Awo-Omanma, Imo State community, in one of the most  cruel acts perpetrated since insecurity engulfed the South-east, was bombed by hoodlums on Saturday, March 19, 2021.

The callous act sparked outrage within and outside Imo State. While the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma blamed politicians, President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement said Obiozor does not deserve the wicked  act.

Not a few people pointed accusing fingers at IPOB/ESN, but the Organisation vehemently  denied any hand in it. However, a number of IPOB watchers insist it was likely carried out by a rogue faction of IPOB, which had threatened guerilla warfare in the South-east if Federal Security Agents do not pull out of the South-east within 72 hours from the day it issued the ultimatum.

Since the expiration of the ultimatum, March 15, 2022,  insecurity in, especially, Imo State, has escalated.

To emphasise the non-complicity of IPOB in the bombing of Obiozor’s House, Kanu, according to one of his Counsels, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who visited him on Monday, March 21, at his detention facility, vowed that IPOB will never forgive those who bombed Obiozor’s House.

He said Obiozor was not their enemy, and has been instrumental to the behind- the-scene moves to release him from detention and stop his prosecution by the Federal Government. He also described Professor Obiozor as an ally, who, everyday of his Court appearance, sent a delegation to Abuja. Obiozor, he disclosed, had also made several attempts to visit him in detention, but was frustrated by Security Agents.

Kanu, therefore, vowed that IPOB will never forgive the perpetrators, and would fish them out.

Following is the text of what Kanu said, as concerns Professor Obiozor, according to Ejiofor, in a statement he released on Monday, March 22, 2022.

“Onyendu ( Nnamdi Kanu) took sometime to express his anger and grave disapproval of the heinous act of destruction of the country home of the elder statesman  and President General of Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Prof George Obiozor.

“He describes the said destruction as cowardly and barbaric and condemns it in very strong terms. He further describes it as uncharitable, noting that the said elder statesman has been in the vanguard of behind-the- scene endeavours, discussions and negotiations, all aimed at exploring and implementing the option of a political solution, as a parallel way of ending the prevailing state of affairs.

“He declares that the perpetrators of the heinous act shall not be forgiven and went ahead to direct that all persons who were in any way involved in committing the dastardly act be fished out forthwith.

“He reminds UMUCHINEKE (Biafrans) to be eternally conscious of several atrocities committed on our land by strangers whose primary objective is to destroy and plunder our land and then turn around to falsely accuse our people.

“He further notes that Prof Obiozor has been a commendable ally since his (Kanu) incarceration in June, 2021, and made the point that he is not an enemy of UMUCHINEKE.

“That being so, the elder statesman should be protected and encouraged for speaking up against the several multifaceted ills meted out both to him and to UMUCHINEKE as a whole.

“He further notes that the elder statesman has been instrumental to the regular presence which members of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo have shown in all the Court appearances of Onyendu.

“This socio-cultural group has steadfastly and consistently made Legal representation in the criminal proceedings pending against Onyendu at the Federal High Court  Abuja.

“Onyendu remains appreciative and eternally grateful to that body for this commendable gesture.

Further, Onyendu points out that it was at the instance of Prof George Obiozor that a delegation of Igbo elders, led by a former Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, consistently showed visible presence in all his appearances in court and has gone ahead on several occasions to attempt to pay him a visit at the DSS headquarters, which attempts were frustrated by the personnel of DSS.

“Onyendu warns that our elder statesmen should be protected at all times and that the monsters desecrating Igbo land should be fished out wherever they are and severely punished, in order to serve as a deterrent to their ilks.”