Police Take over Kanu’s Father’s Palace, as Abia Youths Call for His Head … AIGs Lakanu, Karma Set for All-Out War

Matilda Omonaiye/

All is silent on the battlefront in Abia State today as police special squad takes over a deserted family house of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is on the run.

Newsmakers’ monitoring team has pictures of police officers led by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of operations, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, on the abandoned property that has been the palace of Kanu’s father – Eze (Sir) I.O. Kanu, the Egwu Ukwu II of Afaraukwu Ancient City, at the GRA, in Umuahia.

A youth group in the state has also issued a statement pleading that government should dethrone Kanu’s father.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris on Thursday dispatched 10 units of police special forces coordinated by Lakanu and AIG in charge of Zone 9 Umuahia, Mr Hosea Karma. They were given firm instructions to restore order in the state after IPOB members stirred up trouble by blocking the passage of military men on patrol and stoning soldiers with missiles.

South-East governors thereafter issued a joint statement proscribing IPOB, just as the military officially labelled the group as a terrorist group.

Lakanu, who led the police takeover of Kanu’s house, has vowed to follow IGP’s instruction to the letter. He is familiar with South-East territory. He left Imo State as commissioner of police five months ago, when he was promoted to the rank of AIG. The state governor rewarded him for his accomplishments, including the killing of a dreaded armed robber and kidnapper known as Vampire in a joint operation with the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

Governor Rochas Okorocha described him as an exemplary officer who came to the state and worked in collaboration with the people to achieve huge success in the area of security.

The governor named a road behind the police headquarters, in Owerri, after him, along with a gift of choice land at Shell-camp worth N25 million.

Lakanu once served as Head of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in Lagos, and earned the IGP’s gallantry award for his contributions to the reduction of crime in the state and bringing an end to the reign of a notorious armed robber, Shina Rambo.

Like Lakanu, Karma is also a veteran of many battles who had spent many years in the Mobile Police Force.

Meanwhile, some youths in Abia have sent a petition to Federal and State authorities asking government to dethrone Kanu’s father, who is their traditional ruler.

The Umuahia Youth Movement made the request in a letter to the state governor.

Their letter reads in part: “It beats our imagination that a man who calls himself a Royal Father and an Elder could not call his son to order but rather encourage him in his madness that has plunged Umuahia city into a great crisis today.

“Sir, recall that Umuahia has been the most peaceful capital city in Nigeria to live and do business but just because of one man, we are today facing the wrath of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Our shops, markets, schools, churches and all banks have been shut down. For the past three days we have been indoors for fear of being attacked by the military just because of one man whose father is our traditional ruler.

“Based on the above, we hereby request that he be dethroned within 24hrs or we will take the laws into our hands and dethrone him and even stripe him unclad and raze his house.”

In the statement signed by the group’s leader, Ifeanyi Okwudili, the youths appealed “to every well meaning Nigerian as well to prevail on Gov. Ikpeazu to as a matter of urgency dethrone Nnamdi Kanu’s father”.

The group also requested that Operation Python Dance II should remain in all streets of Umuahia as any “attempt to withdraw will make the IPOB criminals rob our shops and houses”.

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