This was as the group blamed the United Kingdom for the perpetual incarceration of the IPOB leader, saying the aim was to scuttle the actualisation for the liberation of Biafra.
The IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, stated this in a statement, a copy of which was made available to The PUNCH on Sunday.
The group said it was worried by the spates of jailbreaks in the country under the watch of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), saying the ugly trends signposted a failed nation.
The group claimed the information was revealed by its Intelligence arm, the M-Branch.
The statement partly read, “We, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, under the command and leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to reiterate our earlier emphasis over intended make-believe plan to attack the DSS facility in Abuja by already drawn up stunt actors (the DSS agents) at the very location where our leader, Mazi Nnamdi, is incarcerated having successfully tested such plans with Kuje Prisons, without consequences.
“The plan was hatched by the Nigerian Government with strategic and tactical input of the UK Government. The reason for the UK and Nigeria alliance in such cowardice and evil plan is due to their disdain for allowing Indigenous People across the world to enjoy freedom such as the British enjoys Brexit from the European Union.
“This alliance perceives Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as a stumbling block for their modern day oppressive tendencies and, therefore, wants him dead, having tried several unsuccessful attempts in Afaraukwu, London, USA, Kenya and even in Abuja for which Chukwu Okike Abiama had always proven himself. The IPOB intelligence unit, the M. Branch, intercepted this purported plan by Britain and Nigeria to stop Biafra agitation and freedom from Nigeria, and Nigeria and its allies have decided to replicate what they did in 1967-1970 and still on the way to do it again against the innocent citizens of Biafra. The world should take note.
“The world should take note because if anything untoward happens to our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu…in the DSS custody, nobody should blame IPOB for inevitable and uncontrollable boundless calamitous consequences that would befall anyone. Know it that your silence hardens our conscience towards the pursuit of this great nation called Biafra. IPOB needs unconditional release of our leader because there is no prison in the South that is safe for him. Therefore, we still need him released unconditionally to avoid dangerous terms IPOB may take against Nigeria.”
It added, “There are many jailbreaks in Nigeria since Buhari and his APC party took over power and nothing was done…the number of prison breaks was so alarming…(that) no country in the world experienced the kind of jail breaks in history.
“(Records of) jailbreaks (so far) are, 1) September 3, 2015, in Sokoto Remand Home…13 inmates escaped; 2) October, 2017, Enugu Maximum Prison, 2 inmates escaped; 3) December 27, 2017, Ikot Ekpene Prison attacked, 47 inmates escaped; 4) June 4, 2018, Minna Maximum Security Prison, 240 inmates escaped; 5) October 19, 2020, Oko Prison in Edo attacked and many escaped; 6) October 21, 2020, Benin Prison break, 1,993 inmates escaped from the two facilities; 7) October 22, 2020, Okitipupa Prison break, 58 inmates released; 8) April 4, 2021, Owerri prison break, 1,844 inmates escaped; 9) September 13, 2021, Kabba prison break, Kogi, 240 inmates freed; 10) October 22, 2021, Abolongo Prison, Oyo, 837 inmates escaped; 11) July 19, 2021, Jos Maximum Security Prison attacked and inmates escaped; 12) November 28, 2021 – Jos Medium Security Prison attacked, 262 inmates released, 10 killed; 13) Jan 2, 2022, Mandala Prison Ilorin, three inmates escape 14) May 13, 2022 – Agbor Prison, Delta State, fence collapsed, three inmates escaped; 15) July 4, 2022, Kuje Prison, Abuja, attacked, 856 escaped.
“All these prison breaks and Buhari and his government never found out the reasons (for the breaks) or brought the attackers or perpetrators to face the law. Therefore, we want them to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally because his life in the DSS custody is not safe and they will attack there and blame it on bandits and terrorists.
“We urge the British Government to jettison pretence and direct the Nigerian Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally or send him back to the UK where he lives, or for him to return to Amaechi Mbazuruike or Professor George Obiozor, for his safety.”