Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu 'not in military custody' - Defence HQ

The Nigerian Army has officially commented on the missing leader of the Biafra separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) stating that the 50-year-old Nnamdi Kanu was not in military custody.

Spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, John Enenche, in an interview with journalists on Friday affirmed that it was not in the powers of the army to declare Kanu missing. He said till date the whereabout of Kanu was not known even to them.

”It is not the responsibility of the military to declare Nnamdi Kanu wanted. The military did not proscribe IPOB. Due process was followed to proscribe it. The job of the military was to diagnose security issues and warned the public of consequences and that is part of our media operations.

“We did our media operations very well, otherwise that weekend would have been the longest weekend in this country and we are also very careful choosing our words and we know the law very well,” he said.

Members of the group and Kanu’s brother had asked the military to produce the missing IPOB leader. His lawyer has also filed a court case seeking the army and government to produce his client. The military last said Kanu was on the run.

The government last week secured a court order declaring the group a terrorist organization. Kanu’s lawyer has since challenged the decision.

Kanu went missing after a clash between the army and IPOB members at his family home in Umuahia located in the south east Abia State.