The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has alleged that his detention has emboldened enemies of the Igbo people to launch attacks on villages in the Southeast.
Kanu asserted that no group or entity would have dared to attack any Igbo community if he were not in detention.
He made this statement following a routine meeting with his legal team, led by his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Diaspora digital media (DDM) reported.
Ejimakor, in a statement posted on X, revealed that Kanu was reacting to distress calls from residents of Amegu Nkalaha community, who accused the Nigerian military and police of failing to prevent a deadly herdsmen attack.
According to the villagers, security forces had warned them not to leave their community on Saturday, only for armed attackers to strike the next day without any intervention.
They further alleged that after the attack, soldiers returned to seize their mobile phones, preventing them from documenting the destruction or alerting the public.
Reports indicated that the attack resulted in the killing of 16 residents, while 25 houses were completely burned down.
Kanu, who has remained in detention for over two years, believes that such attacks would not have occurred under his watch.
He argued that his continued detention has weakened the ability of Igbo communities to defend themselves against external aggression.
Ejimakor’s statement quoted Kanu as saying: “Had I been a free man, no group or entity would have had the audacity to launch such a brutal attack on peaceful farming communities in Igboland.”
Kanu further referenced an Igbo proverb, Gbuo dike, gbuo dike, ihe ike ruo achowa dike, which translates to, “When the strong are killed, people will long for a defender.”
He insisted that his illegal detention has created a security vacuum that has left innocent villagers vulnerable to coordinated attacks.
IPOB has repeatedly accused the Nigerian government of detaining Kanu unjustly and failing to address security threats in the Southeast.
The group maintains that his release would restore a sense of protection among Igbo communities and deter further violence.
As tensions rise, many in the Southeast continue to express frustration over worsening insecurity and the inability of security agencies to prevent such attacks.
The issue of Kanu’s prolonged detention remains a significant point of contention, with calls for his release growing louder amid increasing violence in the region.
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