IPOB/police clash: Man raises alarm over son’s whereabouts
Ifeoma Ugwu, Enugu
The family of one Mr Nwodo Ikemefuna Sunday from Umuigbo Amurri in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State has cried out over his whereabouts.
This came after Sunday was declared wanted by the police following his escape from prison custody.
Sunday, a prominent member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was arrested during a clash between the police and members of the IPOB in his community, after which they were taken to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, charged to court and remanded.
His distressed father, MrEmmanuel Nwodo, who spoke to journalists, lamented that ever since security agencies invaded the community, Sunday and his co-members of the IPOB have not been seen anywhere.
He lamented that even while his son’s whereabouts remain unknown, the security forces were still coming daily to torment the family’s life.
According to him, “the last we heard from our son was on 19th July, 2022, when the security agencies invaded our community and arrested a handful of the youths, who they said were members of IPOB.
“The previous night, the security agencies had issues with some IPOB members in a neighbouring community.
“But on this ill-fated night of July 19, 2022, they stormed our community and claimed it was being used as a hideout by IPOB members.
“They rained bullets in our community, moving from place to place all in the guise of searching for IPOB members. Several people sustained bullet wounds during that invasion.
“They bundled my son, Ikemefuna Sunday and some other youths into their vehicle after accusing them of sponsoring IPOB. We later learnt that they were taken to Abuja, where they were hurriedly arraigned in court and remanded.”
“However, we have been to the prison on several occasions but can’t locate him there; they are claiming he escaped during a jailbreak, but we don’t know the true situation.
“The security agencies are still coming here repeatedly claiming that they are looking for him; all I am saying is that nothing should happen to my son because he has not committed any crime,” the distressed father appealed.
Mr Nwodo accused the President Muhammadu Buhari government of persecuting the Igbo people, stressing “every action of this administration shows a dislike for the Igbo people.
“Fulani herdsmen are attacking us here everyday; raping our women and killing our people. But once the youths group themselves to ward them off, the police will term them IPOB clash just to clamp them into detention.
“We are saying that enough is enough; if they don’t want us in Nigeria, let them allow us to have our Biafra country; the injustice is too much,” he cried.
