IPOB: Why Turk was appointed as envoy
I saw the militancy, nobody told me and I saw the action there. We are still investigating,” Enenche stated. While clarifying on the proscription of IPOB, the DDI noted thus: “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.”
Erkahraman has come under attacks lately from the Federal Government and All Progressives Congress (APC) members, warning him to renounce his support for IPOB. IPOB also alleged that the government had invited him to visit Nigeria and make a television broadcast publicly renouncing his support for Biafra, adding that this should serve to notify the Turkish government and the world accordingly that Erkahramans’ life and that of his family have come under threat.
The group lamented that labelling the peaceful group, as terrorist organisation is an act designed to alienate friends of Biafra from publicly associating with the IPOB movement for self-determination. It accused the Nigerian government of working to isolate the movement for Biafra restoration away from international supporters.
The group warned that scare tactics would not work because Erkahraman are a conscientious Muslim who understands what human rights is all about, the need to preserve same and believes that freedom for Biafra supersedes everything else in life, even his own religion.
Meanwhile, IPOB in a statement issued yesterday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emma Powerful, described Erkahraman as the current President of International Nations Commercial Association based in Turkey and an adviser to Kanu.
The Defence Headquarters yesterday, denied reports that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was being held by the Nigerian Army. The denial came on a day Kanu clarified on its relationship with a Turkish citizen, Mr. Abdulkadir Erkahraman, where it stated that Erkahraman was a representative of IPOB on international relations in the Middle East and Asia. It was gathered that the DHQ’s position is coming on the heels of a suit by the IPOB praying the court to compel the Army, to produce Kanu.
The controversy surrounding the IPOB leader’s whereabouts since his Umuahia home was raided about two weeks ago, has yet to settle. Speaking at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General John Enenche, said the decision to launch Exercise Egwu Eke II in the South-East, was informed by the compelling need to avert security breaches. On claims in some quarters that the military was holding Kanu, Enenche said: “Nnamdi Kanu is not in the custody of the military.”
On whether the military would declare the pro-Biafra leader wanted, the DDI said: “It is not the responsibility of DHQ to declare Nnamdi Kanu wanted.” In a related development, the Defence spokesman has insisted that the military did not raid Kanu’s home.
“Nobody raided Kanu’s home and I stand to be justified not from the information I got, I was watching it live, was monitoring it live and speaking with those on the ground. “The people that came out there that I saw are the Biafra Security Service and Biafra National Guard. I think I later confirmed that there was nothing to actually justify them to mount roadblocks.