Buhari Flies To India As Pro-Biafrans Threaten To Bring Down Nigerian Embassy, 17 IPOB Activists Freed in Anambra
As President Muhammadu Buhari gets out to India on Tuesday, some pro-Biafra activists under the aegis of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have threatened to destroy the Nigerian Embassy in India over the continued detention of their leader and the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The activist, who wore vests bearing the insignia of Biafra, staged a protest at the Nigerian High Commission building in New Delhi to demand the release of Kanu.
Buhari left Abuja for New Delhi, India, today to participate in the 3rd Summit of the India-Africa Forum aimed at boosting socio-economic development in Africa and India.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Femi Adesina.
The India-Africa Forum was established in 2008 as the official platform for the advancement of mutually-beneficial relations between India and African nations.
According to Adesina, President Buhari, the Indian Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi and other participating Heads of State and Government would deliberate on issues of common concern to their countries such as climate change and international terrorism.
However, in a five minute video, the Biafran activist, among other demands, said if Kanu was not released within the next 24 hours, they would destroy the embassy in India.
The protesters, who chanted a Biafra solidarity song, “Biafra save my bullet when I die,” vowed that not even the Indian police would stop them if Kanu was not released.
One of the activists said: “Today we are all over the world and we are making it very clear.
“We know your families all over the world. If Nnamdi Kanu is not released within 24 hours, we will bring down this building. Kanu has not done anything wrong, he is a prisoner of conscience kidnapped by the operatives of the Department of State Services.
“But we are warning that if they fail to release him, we will break down this embassy.
“Go and call all the police in India, they cannot stop us. We don’t joke about our leader. We are not afraid of jail”, he declared.
Another member of the group said: “We don’t mince word. There should not be a clause to his release.
“After all, this embassy was built with our money. No matter the number of Indian police they put here, we will bring this building down. We are ready to die. We are dead already so we are not afraid of death.”
In another development, the 17 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who were arrested by the Anambra State Police Command, have been released.
They were arrested last week for protesting the arrest of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Police spokesman Ali Okechukwu said those released were 13 women and four men.
They were warned by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, not to breach the public peace again.
A statement by Okechukwu after the arrest said: “The Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to the spurious publication on police action in the dispersal of a crowd of misguided protesters on Tuesday, Ocotober 20, at Awka.
“It is evident that on that day, some misguided youths took to the Onitsha/Enugu Expressway, harassing people and obstructing traffic, causing hardship for innocent and unsuspecting citizens as well as commuters.
“On receiving calls from well-meaning people, the police command, oblivious of what and who were behind the protest, despatched officers to the scene.
“The police presence and professional handling of the crowd dispersed them and eased up traffic.
Only a few were arrested, cautioned and released immediately same day.”
The Biafra Radio Director, Kanu has been detained by Nigeria’s Department of State Service (DSS) since Saturday, October 17, 2015.
He was arrested in Lagos by the secret security operatives as he flew into Nigeria from his base in the United Kingdom.
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