THE Defence Headquarters, Friday, declared that it does not know the whereabouts of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
This came as it asked citizens not to panic over hitherto October 1st deadline given the Ibos by a group of Northern youths to vacate the region, saying the threat was no longer effective.
The DHQ which said contrary to some reports,it did not raid the IPOB leader’s home, said it was not the place of the military to declare Kanu wanted.
The DHQ equally explained that it was constrained to move a special military operations against the dreaded herdsmen because they were neither visible nor carry out their activities under an open or known group.
Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, who addressed the media at the Defence Headquarters, denied that Nnamdi Kanu was in military custody.
” Nnamdi Kanu is not in the custody of the military,”he declared. On whether the military would declare Kanu wanted since his whereabouts is unknown, Enenche said:”It is not the responsibility of the military to declare Nnamdi Kanu wanted.”
Enenche also said contrary to reports in some quarters, the military did not proscribe IPOB, just as he said due process was followed in the group’s proscription.
“The military did not proscribe IPOB. Due process was followed to proscribe it. The job of the military was to diagnose security issues and warned the public of consequences and that is part of our media operations.
“We did our media operations very well, otherwise that weekend would have been the longest weekend in this country and we are also very careful choosing our words and we know the law very well, “he added. He also denied that the military troops on Operation Python Dance raided Kanu’s home.
Hear him:” Nobody raided Kanu’s home and I stand to be justified, not from the information I got. I was watching it live, I was monitoring it live and also speaking with them on the ground. The people that came out there that I saw were the Biafra security service and Biafra National Guard. ”
I think I later confirmed that there was nothing to actually justify them legally to mount roadblocks. I saw the militancy, nobody told me and I saw the action there. We are still investigating.” He spoke on the post military operations in the South East thus:”For the past couple of days since the operation started, the feedback I have been getting from that place is that yes, they are happy.
“Some of them were actually afraid even before the operation started not from our troops but from the people that we actually getting them fighting, people that are actually intimidating them. But now, they have a lot of relief. “We have our sources of information as information outfits of the armed forces. We also get information from the general public using our own sources as a form of checks and balances.”
Enenche said the country was not militarized contrary to the position of some people. “Other countries passed through this, if you go into history, before getting to where they are as developed countries today. “Like in China, you see one policeman inside a car, you hardly see a military man outside and it depends on the developmental process and what you passed through.
“That’s why in simple terms, I will tell you that we are not alarmed at all. “For example, the last terrorist attack in the UK, 24 hours after the attack, the government asked the military to take over the area. ” If the UK government can tell the military to take over, to back up the Police, I think we are just about 100 years old of amalgamation and we about 57 years old, it’s not out of place, “he stressed.
He expressed disappointment over the position of some legal practitioners on military involvement in the IPOD issue just as h said some of them got it right in his assessment of various contributions to the issue. “Of course, there will be conflicting demands on who is to do what by the military, the executive, the legislature they are all arms of the government and they all have responsibilities,”he said.
“The statement that came through me is not at par at all with what the Chief of Army Staff came out to clarify. People had mindset and they were In a hurry to attack the military because of their mindset and because of that it is a pity to say that somehow some people lost their reputation,”he clarified.
He said the various operations and exercises under the Defence Headquarters were being sustained in the North East, North West, North Central, South West, South South and South Eastern parts of Nigeria.
He also said troops of Operation RESTORE DEMOCRACY in the Gambia have been rotated. ”The contingent earned the operational medal, due to their outstanding performance. A new set has been inducted into the mission (ECOMIG). The Defence Headquarters, according to Enenche,” reaffirmed the unalloyed loyalty of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.”
It also reaffirmed “total subordination of the Nigerian Military to constituted civil authorities,complete dedication of the military to its constitutional roles as well as dedication of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the protection of lives and property of all peace loving people where ever they live in Nigeria.
