Police authority said the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu would be arrested if he stepped on Nigerian soil for the burial of his mother.
The police authority also said anyone who identifies with the proscribed group would be thrown into a police cell.
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon, stated this in an interview published by The Sun.
The police said Nnamdi Kanu is a wanted person since his escape from Nigeria several months ago.
The police boss was quoted as saying, “What I know is that Nnamdi Kanu jumped bail and escaped and is wanted and remains a wanted man.
“Until that time, but I couldn’t tell you about police action on anything that is speculation until he comes.”
Mr Okon stated if the IPOB leader submitted himself to the police upon return, “police will know what to do at that time.”
Answering a question about what the police would do if Kanu failed to submit himself, the police boss said: “If someone is wanted and police see that person, definitely he will be arrested by the police and handed over to the court.”
On why Nigeria authority had failed to arrest Kanu who has been seen severally working the streets abroad, Abia police said, “That has to do with international law and a lot of things are involved that require going through Interpol.”
Mr Okon said Nigeria authority doesn’t know IPOB because the group has been proscribed, stating that it isn’t possible for IPOB to apply for security during Nnamdi Kanu’s mum’s burial.
“A terrorist organization will apply to the police? Okay, when they apply, let them put their names, their correct names so that we know what to do.
“” By the way, how do you expect police to honour application by a proscribed and terrorist organization?
“We are even looking for them, let them apply and put the names of their leaders in the application as that will give us a very good ground to do the needful.”
Okon stated that Abia state police command is doing the needful to ensure peace in the state.
“We don’t warn on rumour, we will only warn when we gather intelligence, we subject intelligence to analysis and all that and if we are convinced of the intelligence, we will do the needful,” he told The Sun in the interview.
