Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says he has no ties with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
The militant groups had given the release of Kanu, who has been in Kuje prison, Abuja since 2015, as one of the conditions for the return of peace in the Niger Delta region.
But speaking with journalists on Friday, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, one of Kanu’s lawyers, said his client has no relationship with any militant group, hence MEND could not have represented him in any negotiation with the government.
“In the past few days, the media was awash with news of negotiation going on between the federal government and members of MEND, where our client’s name (Nnamdi kanu) conspicuously featured,”he said.
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“It is on that note that we wish to inform the general public that Nnamdi kanu has no connection, contact, ties or any form of relationship with the members of MEND.
“As such MEND has no implied, direct or express authority of Nnamdi Kanu to represent him or IPOB in any purported negotiation, going on between MEND and the federal government. The general public is accordingly advised to ignore, discountenance and disregard the falsehood being peddled by MEND.
“Nnamdi Kanu does not know them. However, Nnamdi Kanu is not averse to a political solution in resolving the present politically-orchestrated ordeal. Nnamdi Kanu welcomes genuine political solution to this case.”
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Responding to a question on whether Kanu would abandon his campaign for an independent state of Biafra in exchange for freedom, Amuobi Nzelu, another lawyer, said that his client would not jettison the agitation even if he was released.
He also said that Kanu hs no ties with the Avengers.
“It is not easy to drop an ideology. IPOB is bigger than Nnamdi Kanu. Self-determination is as a result of marginalisation,” he said.
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