Chief Israel Kanu the father of the self-styled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has said that his son will not back down from his agitation for the Independent State of Biafra despite his incarceration by the Federal Government.
The traditional ruler of Isiama Afaraukwu- Ibeku, Umuahia North Local government Area of Abia State described his son’s bail conditions as unacceptable and therefore urged that they are withdrawn.
Chief Kanu spoke with The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN at Umuahia.
“I call on the federal government to immediately withdraw all the charges preferred against Kanu in the interest of peace in the country,” he said.
“He did not commit murder. He did not carry arms; neither did he commit any heinous crime to warrant such a government clampdown.
“His only offence was that he expressed his opinion in a democracy where people are free to express themselves without the fear of arrest or molestation.
“He is more than 18 years of age and has become an adult. He is capable of having an independent opinion on any issues. So, I cannot ask him to stop pursuing what he believes in.
“The only thing that can assuage him is to allow him to have Biafra and no amount of inducement, even giving him an oil block would stop not him.”
Chief Kanu thanked Enyinnaya Abaribe, a senator from Abia south; Immanuu El-Shalom, an Igbo Jewish Rabbi from Port Harcourt, and Tochukwu Uchendu, a chartered accountant, for securing his release.
He assured them that his son would not betray the trust they have in him and described the two years of his imprisonment as depressing.
“Very often, I kept wondering what would be his fate and hoping also that he would not die in detention. I had very strong hope that God would not allow him to die in the cell,” he said.
He also spoke on how he felt when the IPOB leader arrived at his palace on Friday, after regaining his freedom, saying that he felt very happy and excited.
“He looked quite healthy and strong. His looks showed that the prison warders took good care of him, so I was very happy and impressed when I saw him,” he said.