Kanu’s family raises alarm over soldiers presence

The family of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday raised the alarm over the presence of soldiers in its village, Isiama Afaraukwu in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.

However, his younger brother, Emmanuel, told our correspondent that residents have become apprehensive by the soldiers’ presence. Prince Kanu said they were not comfortable with soldiers patrolling the “peaceful” community. According to him, Afaraukwu was yet to recover from the shock and trauma of the alleged 2017 military invasion.

“We don’t want what happened at Lekki to happen again in our community,” the younger Kanu said.

He called on military authorities not to deploy soldiers in the peaceful community to avoid intimidation and harassment of innocent residents and indigenes.

But, an officer at the 14 Brigade Headquarters, who did not want to be named, dismissed Prince Kanu’s claim, saying the soldiers were carrying out their legitimate duties.

The source urged members of the community and public to go about their lawful business, assuring them of their safety.

The source said it was only someone that has a skeleton in his cupboard that will be agitated, adding that the alarm was “unnecessary”.

The treasonable felony case of Kanu will come up at the Federal High Court in Abuja today 26 November 2020

Kanu and others on trial on a five-count charge bordering on treasonable felony and managing an unlawful organisation.

The Federal Government accused them of conspiracy to broadcast materials intended to secede from Nigeria and create a state of Biafra.

The court issued a hearing notice to the prosecution and defence teams. The notice is dated November 24, 2020.