The family of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nmandi Kanu, has called on the military to provide their brother-Kanu and their parents, HRH, Eze Kanu and his wife, dead or alive.

The dust raised by the invasion of the home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on October 26, last year, has refused to settle, four months after the military raid, Daily Sun reports.

The family of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the of Biafra agitation group, has remained consistent in accusing the army of taking away three key members of the family – their father and traditional ruler of Afara community, HRH (Eze) Israel Okwu Kanu, his wife, Ugoeze Kanu and Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader himself.

While speaking in a chat with Sunday Sun, spokesman of the family, Prince Emmanuel Kanu said: “We’ve been asking the military to produce my brother, Nnamdi, and our parents because since after the raid on our home, we’ve not seen or communicated with any one of them yet. The military should provide them anywhere they are.

“As I speak with you, no one would really say if my parents are still alive because we’ve not seen nor heard from them ever since the invasion by the army. It is the hope of every family member that they are still alive because they did not do anything wrong to warrant their being killed. The hope that they are still alive of course is what is keeping other members of the family going till today.”

Kanu said members of the family have severally urged the military to release their parents and also the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to them whether dead or alive; including their mother’s boxes of clothes which the soldiers that invaded the compound allegedly took away. He demanded that the boxes be returned to the family.

He, however, regretted that each time they make the request, the army always deny having Kanu’s parents and the IPOB leader himself in their custody. Kanu accused the army of telling lies to deceive the people and the international community.

His words: “Each time we make the request, the army would come out to deny that they never arrested the monarch and his wife. But it should be noted that the Nigerian Army has been known as people that tell lies so much; they are full of lies all the time. When they kidnapped my brother in 2015, they lied about it until pressure came before they admitted and the DSS too.

“So, the same thing has happened again. The same thing that happened in the case of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has happened again. So, their duty is to unlawfully take people, keep them wherever suits them until they find out what to do with that person. So, I believe Nnamdi Kanu is still alive somewhere, but then, we expect them to produce him whether dead or alive.

“The other time we drew the attention of the international community about the military invasion of our home, the Chief of Army staff, Lt. General Buratai said that they never invaded our house until the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali said he authorized the invasion of our home which made it a little clearer to the wider world.”

Kanu said his father’s long absence is being felt both in Afara Ukwu and Abia State in general. “The Afara Ukwu community, my father’s subjects and his cabinet, they miss him so much, the executives of Isiama Afara Ukwu miss him too. In fact, the entire Ibeku and Abia State as a whole miss him so much.

“Particularly, Afara Ukwu people feel his absence much because he is the chief security officer of the community and you know what it means for him to have been away from his kingdom for this long, they miss his leadership and they miss the interaction with them so much.”

While urging IPOB members to remain very resolute and loyal to the leadership of the group, Kanu reiterated his call for the army to release his parents and brother, Nnamdi Kanu, whether dead or alive.