TheCable

The Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB), a breakaway faction of the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says the detained leader of the secessionist group lied when he claimed his health was deteriorating in prison.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by Chima “Phillip Effiong” Osuji, the breakaway group recently visited Kuje prison and found Kanu “looking hale and hearty, and as fit as a fiddle”.

TRIPOB urged Kanu to “stoop to conquer, humble himself and change his strategy instead of resorting to cheap blackmail and propaganda”.

THE FULL STATEMENT

Following the alarming and weighty allegations of threat to the life of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu in Kuje Prison, which was leveled against the
Nigeria Prison Services (NPS) and the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS), by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), some members of The Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB) were mandated to visit and ascertain the facts and condition of our leader Charles Okah who also happens to be an inmate in the same Kuje prison, Abuja.

Their findings reveal that while it is true that there was an incident caused by irresponsible, untrained and overzealous armed warders used to quell a peaceful protest over poor living conditions and food quality by indigent inmates from their locked cells, several other inmates were also affected, including Charles Okah who suffers partial blindness as a result of the indiscriminate shooting of tear gas into cells and buildings housing inmates when a tear gas canister exploded in his face as he tried to escape the fumes by moving towards his cell window.

The IPOB allegation is a lie directed at the DSS who had no hand in the Prisons mishandling of the situation. Such propaganda is meant to
elicit sympathy for Kanu and hatred against the Federal Government.

On the day of our visit, we also happened to have seen Mr. Kanu who was also receiving visitors. He looked hale and hearty, and as fit as a fiddle.

Instead of resorting to cheap blackmail and propaganda, IPOB should advise Kanu to stoop to conquer, humble himself and change its
strategy.

Considering that food was used as a ‘fair’ weapon of war against the defunct Biafra state during the civil war, lessons of that
effective strategy which starved Biafra into submission should direct the energy of IPOB and MASSOB members to go into making the South East a massive agricultural hub instead of using the youths to stage senseless protests that claim their lives.

TRIPOB is already working on such agricultural programmes having received over $5 million dollars from donors worldwide in support of our Food Citadel Programme (FCP), which will be launched on January 15, 2017 in Enugu to replace the ‘surrender’ ceremony originally scheduled for that date.

All things being equal, our leader, Charles Tonbra Okah will launch the programme, with all the governors and local government chairmen of the south-south and south-east states, in attendance. We anticipate that Judgment in his ongoing trial will be delivered before that date where God-willing, he will be discharged and acquitted of the trumped-up charges that were leveled against him.

We use this medium to welcome the South East Xanthus Indigenous People of Biafra aka SEXIPOB; the association of fair complexioned Igbo women who have decided to break away from IPOB to join TRIPOB.