‘Let justice prevail’ — Emekesiri, IPOB ‘founder’, speaks on Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest

Emeka Emekesiri, self-acclaimed founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has reacted to the arrest and re-arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB.

Last Tuesday, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), said the IPOB leader was “intercepted” on June 20 “through the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and security services”.

Malami did not state where Kanu was brought from to Nigeria, but Kingsley Kanu, brother of the separatist leader, had alleged that his brother was apprehended in Kenya.

The IPOB leader was arraigned before Binta Nyako, and the judge ruled that he should be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while the case was adjourned till July 26.

Speaking on the development in a video published after Kanu’s arrest, Emekesiri, the presumed founder of IPOB, said he had received several calls asking for his comments on the recent development.

“I have received many calls from many people, asking me to make comments on the arrest and trial of Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.

“I wondered why they asked me to make comments. Some say that they want my opinion; some say that they want to know the way forward. Well, I’m a lawyer. You know that I believe in the rule of law.

“I heard that he was arrested and returned to the court where he was standing trial in 2017, and I was told he was standing trial and he jumped bail and there was a warrant issued for his arrest — bench warrant.

“Now, it appears that the warrant has been executed. If that is the case and you want me to make a comment, what do you want me to say?

“I’m a lawyer. What I will say is that let justice prevail. Let the law takes its course.”

Emekesiri recounted how Kanu joined IPOB and was deployed to manage the broadcast section of the group, after he left Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

The IPOB “founder” said Kanu declared himself as the leader of the group in what appeared like a “coup” speech, which he announced on the radio.

“I created the IPOB, under the elders. So, when he joined us, we believed that he had talents for broadcasting, and so we put him in the media department so that he could use the media to promote the work,” he said.

“Initially, he did very well promoting the work, but along the line, we didn’t know he had an ulterior motive. Using the radio, he made an announcement just like the army takes over when they plan a coup.

“He now announced that our elders are saboteurs and traitors, and that he had dissolved the council of elders of IPOB and he is now the leader.

“Well, we excommunicated him on 12th of May, 2014, from this body called Indigenous People of Biafra. So, the one he is carrying on with is fake.”