Kanu ‘under surveillance’ as police deploy more personnel in south-east

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been placed under surveillance, according to PUNCH.

The newspaper reported that this is to prevent him from fleeing the country if the court revokes his bail and order his re-arrest.

Last week, the federal government approached the court to seek the revocation of Kanu’s bail for flouting the conditions given to him before he was released.

Binta Nyako, a judge of a federal high court in Abuja who set him free, ordered Kanu not to grant media interviews or to be seen in a crowd of more than 10 people, but he has since violated the bail conditions.

The prosecution had said that instead of using the opportunity of his bail to attend to his health needs, Kanu had gone ahead to inaugurate a security outfit, known as Biafra Security Service.

The prosecution said this constituted a threat to national security.

Reacting to the government’s move, Kanu said anyone who tries to arrest him will die.

He has also vowed that the November 18 governorship election in Anambra state would not hold if the federal government fails to conduct a referendum on Biafra.

The police said the threat made them increase the strength of their personnel in the south-east and south- south regions to tackle any breach of peace.

According to PUNCH, the increase is proactive measure on any threat peace that may arise from the activities of Biafran agitators ahead of the Anambra governorship election.

Aside mobile police force operatives that had been deployed, counter-terrorism unit, the intelligence unit and other conventional policemen, who would work with the state commands in the south-east and south-south zones have also been increased.

Jimoh Moshood, force public relations officer, confirmed that the police had deployed more riot policemen in the south-east and south-south regions to avert a breach of security and maintain law and order.

But he did not confirm if Kanu was under surveillance to prevent him from fleeing the country should the court rule in favour of the government.

“We have made additional deployments, particularly in Anambra state, because of the upcoming governorship election and also to other south-east and south-south states to ensure that IPOB did not actualise its threat of stopping the election,” he said.

“So also, any pronouncement from the court would be strictly enforced, irrespective of the persons involved. Nobody is above the law, so any court pronouncement would be enforced by the police.”

Moshood added that the force was closely monitoring the situation in the south-east.

He said the police would not leave anything to chance, while noting that any judicial order in respect of Kanu and other agitators would be enforced immediately.

“We are not leaving anything to chance; we are to ensure there is law and order and any pronouncement from the court would be strictly enforced. We are watching the situation closely. We have made enough deployments and we are going to act appropriately,” he said.