IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, backs out of talks with South East governors

The Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, says he would not be attending a meeting with the South East governors earlier scheduled for Friday, the 15th of September.

Kanu and the governors met on August 30th where they discussed the crisis that has erupted since the group began its agitation for the creation of Biafra and how the agitation can be done peacefully.


In a statement released yesterday, Kanu said he would not be attending the meeting because he has it on good authority that some military men have been stationed in Enugu state to attack and kill him. Part of his statement reads

He said, “In view of the concerted effort by the oppressive Nigerian state to shatter the peace and tranquillity of the South-East and the rest of Biafraland through military intimidation, it has become necessary for me to clarify why, regrettably, I may not be able to attend Friday’s meeting with the South-East governors as earlier agreed, for three main reasons.

"We are currently busy attending to our dead and injured from this latest round of unprovoked military onslaught against innocent civilians in our own land. All the casualties so far were shot by men of the Nigerian Army deployed in my house and those stationed along motorways leading into Umuahia, my hometown.

“I have been reliably informed also that a detachment of this same soldiers, responsible for the murder of innocent unarmed IPOB family members, have now been stationed near Enugu to ambush and assassinate me on my way to the meeting with the governors on Friday.

“On that same Friday, the 15th of September, 2017, the leadership of IPOB, through the instrumentality of the Directorate of State, headquartered in Germany, will be meeting to vote on the viability or otherwise of continuing our struggle in this non-violent manner. There is urgent need to begin the process of defending ourselves in the face of relentless murderous attacks from the Nigerian state.”

The leader of the secessionist group said the security situation in the South East is not conducive for any meaningful discussion to take place

“Accordingly, we will not engage in any meeting with anybody until the atmosphere is conducive and peaceful enough to allow for such”.