IPOB : Kanu’s re-appearance shows truth’s been revealed about alleged assassination, kidnap – Presidency

The Presidency has reacted to the recent video footage showing the reappearance of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Israel.

The presidency said, if it is indeed true that Kanu has reappeared, then that the Nigerian government has been vindicated of accusations it either assassinated or kidnapped the IPOB leader.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s special assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made the statement in an interview on the BBC Hausa Service on Tuesday.

Recall that Kanu had vanished into thin air for several months after the Nigerian Army launched an exercise code-named “Operation Python Dance” which saw a clash between the army and IPOB members at Kanu’s hometown.


After the incidence, many, especially IPOB members accused the Nigerian Federal government of assassinating or kidnapping the IPOB leader.

However, months later, Nnamdi Kanu reappeared in Israel where a video footage showed him to have gone to pray at the “Wailing Wall.”

Nnamdi Kanu, thereafter, made a live broadcast through the Radio Biafra, on Sunday where he said that the argitation for the freedom of Biafra will continue.

In the broadcast, Mr. Kanu also called on the IPOB supporters not to take part in elections in Nigeria.

However, reacting to the claim of Kanu’s reappearance, the president’s aide said, “If it happens to be true, the video footage showing Mr Nnamdi Kanu; the truth has been revealed about his alleged assassination against Nigerian government.”

He said the Nigerian government was accused of killing the IPOB leader, only for him to reappear in Israel.

“This fairy tale went up to United Nations General Assembly where some IPOB members staged a protest accusing Nigeria government of kidnapping and even killing of Mr. Kanu,”

He said now that Mr Kanu has appeared, people will know who lied between the government and those that made accusations.

Shehu also said that should the IPOB leader enter the country, that his trial will definitely continue.

Meanwhile, Kanu, in his broadcast on Sunday, had said that he will not return to continue his trial in Nigeria because he has no faith in the Nigerian judicial system.