From ChidiAsonye, Umuahia
As the burial of the parents of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, NnamdiKanu draws closer; the entire Afaraukwu community has asked the security agencies, including the Nigerian Army to stay away from the burial which has been slated for the 14th of February.
Speaking during a press briefing in Umuahia, one of the sons of the late royal couple, Prince Emmanuel Kanu had raised eyebrows over the invasion of their IsiamaAfaraukwu community, leaving uncertainty, fear of the unknown and apprehension in its wake, noting that residents of the area are no more free to move around for fear of being molested by the soldiers.
Prince Kanu who was flanked on both sides by the President General of IsiamaAfaraukwu, ChiefIkechukwuNdubueze and the National President of Ohaneze Youth Council, ComradeIgboayakaIgboayaka stated that his late parents, Eze IsraelKanu and Ugoeze Nene Kanu had paid the ultimate of the agitation for an independent Biafra.
According to the Prince, there is need for the military to stay away from the burial so as not to heighten the already tension in the land, saying: “There is no war at IsiamaAfaraukwu and so they should allow us to bury our parents who had paid the ultimate price for the agitation for self-determination. We will carry out a peaceful burialceremony withoutdisturbing ordisrupting public peace,” he had said while telling the military and indeed, other security agencies, “to stay off this particular burial.”
Contributing, the President General of IsiamaAfaraukwu community, Chief IkechukwuNdubueze had insisted that what the people of the larger Afaraukwu community are doing is a traditional burial, “for our late monarch. It is all about the entire Afaraukwu, not just Isiama. Afaraukwu has a committee for the burial and the security agencies have all been contacted. ”
While calling on everyone to remain calm, he had reiterated that his community are made of peace loving people just as he assured that the burial ceremony will surely be peaceful, without incidents that may lead to chaos or violence.
The President General admonished people to always be conscious of what information they share in the social media, since it will amount to nothing if information shared here only succeeds in jeopardizing the burial ceremony.
Ohaneze Youth Council President, Comrade Igboayaka insisted that it was unacceptable to have the presence of the military to create unnecessary tension in the community, especially in the absence of any form of war, skirmishes or any uprising.
“It’s unacceptable that troops are let loose on our community where hitherto, there is no tension or uprising of any sort,” he had said even as he advised the military to channel efforts towards protecting lives and property of citizens.
