5th February, 2020
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra have been declared personae non gratae at the burial of the parents of Nnamdi Kanu, their founder.
The Afaraukwu community in Umuahia North council area of Abia State, home town of the Leader of Kanu, handed out the warning on Tuesday, warning IPOB members to keep away, appealing for peace at the burial.
Kanu’s younger brother also echoed the warning.
The burial of His Royal Highness Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and his wife, Ugoeze Meme Sally Kanu is slated for 14 February in their country home, Isiama Afaraukwu community in Umuahia local government area of Abia state.
President General , Afaraukwu community, Chief Ikechukwu Ndubueze, who briefed the media on the preparations for the burial, said the community wants a peaceful burial for their late monarch and his wife.
“What we are doing is a traditional burial. The entire Afaraukwu community wants a peaceful burial. We have been meeting with the security agencies in the state. What we are doing is not an IPOB affair, we are only burying our late monarch and his wife. They should allow us bury our dead. Afaraukwu is a peaceful community.
Some people don’t want us to have a peaceful burial. All we want to do is to give our monarch and his wife a peaceful burial.
The Commissioner of Police is our tenant, the head of Immigration and other security chiefs live in our community. Even the Abia State Government House is our tenant. They won’t be living in our community if we are not peaceful.”
He warned against what he described as fake reports about the burial from the social media which had created tension in the community.
Younger brother of the IPOB Leader, Emmanuel Kanu, urged the Army to stay away from the burial and allow the community bury their late monarch and his wife in a peaceful manner.
”They should stay away from the burial and allow us bury our late parents. We don’t carry arms, we assure them we will conduct a peaceful burial. My parents have paid the supreme price, the Army should stay away.”
National President, Ohanaeze Youth Council, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, stated that it is unacceptable for President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy soldiers to the peaceful Afaraukwu community even when terrorists are killing Nigerians in the North East zone.
Nnamdi Kanu turned himself into a fugitive in Britain after he jumped bail in September 2017 in a treason trial in Nigeria that began in 2015–Vanguard