IPOB Distances Self From Senator Ubah’s Burial Delay

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has stated that it was not responsible for the delay in burying the late senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District of Anambra State, Ifeanyi Ubah.

The late Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil and Gas died in London on July 27, where he travelled to witness the graduation ceremony of one of his children from a University.

Controversy has trailed the plan to bring back the late Senator’s remains for burial in his Nnewi, Anambra State native home with rumours making the rounds that members of the Biafra separatist group accused the late parliamentarian of having hand in the arrest and forceful extradition of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu back to Nigeria from Kenya on 27th June, 2021 by Interpol.

IPOB was alleged to have therefore threatened to unleash violence anytime his remains were brought to Nnewi for burial.

Kanu has been under incarceration from where he has been going to the Court to answer treason charges since then.

But the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful in a statement he made available to LEADERSHIP on Wednesday, absolved his organisation from the delay in Ubah’s burial.

The IPOB spokesman also absolved the late Senator Ubah of having a hand in the arrest and renditioning of their leader, Kanu.

Powerful, rather said that his organisation was aware of the people responsible for the arrest and repatriation of the IPOB leader, adding that the people are still alive and are still walking the free on the streets.

He vowed that the members of his organisation would come after such people at the appropriate time.

Powerful stated that the delay in Senator Ubah’s burial might be connected with the traditions of his Nnewi community.

The statement read: “The Directorate of State (DOS) of the great and noble family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to inform Biafrans, friends of Biafra, and lovers of Biafra freedom that IPOB movement and its leadership are not behind the delay in the burial of late Senator Ifeanyi Uba in his home town Nnewi North of Anambra State.

“Whatever or whoever is responsible for the delay of the burial of late Senator Ifeanyi Uba is not known to IPOB. We have the information of those who bankrolled and sponsored the abduction and renditioning of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria. And we will take an appropriate response at the right time. For now, we are much more concerned with other pressing matters to IPOB.

“It is a known fact that late Senator Ifeanyi Uba stepped on the toes of many Igbo people, particularly his Nnewi people.

“The delay in his burial is not connected with the kidnapping and rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Those who collaborated with the Nigerian government in committing these abominations are still around.

“The Nnewi Traditional Leaders and their custodians are people of rich culture and traditions. They know why the burial of the late Senator is being delayed. No one should link what happened to the IPOB leader to the delay in the burial of late Ifeanyi Uba. IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu should be left out of this traditional quagmire.

“IPOB respects the oneness and deep tradition among Nnewi people. They know what to do to ensure that peace reigns in Nnewi. IPOB encourages them to do what is culturally permissible to ensure that the remains of their son are not buried outside their ancestral land.

“What is happening to the burial of late Senator Uba should be a wake-up call to the radicals and the untouchable politicians to remember that one day, Biafrans may reject your corpse and even that of their children.

“They may even be treated like outcasts and possibly banished from Biafra Land. Let he who has ears hear what the spirit is saying”, the statement read further.