Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who was declared wanted by the Anambra State Police Command, has spoken from hiding with several counter claims against the police.
Ejiofor in a 10-minute video circulated Wednesday on several social media platforms, addressed the incident that transpired in his house in the early hours of December 2, 2019, which four person’s were reportedly killed, including two policemen.
In the video, he said, “On Sunday, December 1, 2019, I was called at about 9pm in the night by the DPO, he never passed any message to me. At about 6am in the morning, I got a call from my elder brother, Evang Emeka Ejiofo, that police, led by the Area Commander himself, had invaded my premises.
“I requested to speak with the Area Commander, which he obliged. Which conversation was well recorded. I requested to know why they were in my house because I wasn’t around. He said they came to arrest one of my wards who participated in a local conflict. They however demanded to see me, which I told him I wasn’t around but I would be back around 10:30 am and would come see him in the station as soon as I was back.
“And he obliged me the request, but he emphasized that time is of the essence, that I should keep to time, then I became worried. Because since I came into town weeks before my late brothers burial and have been around even after that time, I never had issues with anybody and have been indoors receiving sympathizers.
“When I returned, I briefly had a discussion with my mother and on a second thought, I decided to go see the Area Commander in the company of my Uncle. So I already left the house to where I was supposed to pick my Uncle, and that served as a saving grace for me in the disaster.
“Because, the target was me. So we were on our way to the Area Commanders office, through an unconventional route when I got a call from my junior brother that the police were in my house and they have opened fire on all living objects in my house.
“I was surprised. Hence I decided to abort the movement and wait until I was further briefed on what was going on. Hence, as the carnage proceeds, my brother kept furnishing me with developments in my house. And after two minutes into.our discussion, he told me that about four person’s had been gunned down in my premises, and the entire house had been set ablaze by the police.
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“I was confused as to what I have done to deserve this kind of treatment. Hence I decided to take refuge within the neighborhood. As the carnage proceeds, reports kept filtering in as to what the police were doing in my house, including raping people around the area.
“In the end, they took away the four corpses, to a market along Onitsha express road and burnt all of them in their own vehicle and left.
“However, when I read the police report, I was shocked to my marrow when he said someone lodged a complain against me at about 11:30 am in the morning when, he had actually came to my house at about 6am in the morning and we had an understanding to meet before 11am in the morning.
“Then assuming without consenting to the fact that anybody lodged a complaint against me on the complaint of abduction, and other frivolous offences, is that sufficient enough to warrant using force on people they found in my premises, firing at random and killing people in the house, and burning houses.
“I am a lawyer. I have two Chambers, one in Abuja and the other at Anambra state. I practice, and I am a very serious legal practitioner, I go to court almost everyday. Not that I am going to run away from the police, however, it is important for me to emphasize that I have more than 17 years unbroken relationship with the police.
“They can attest to that fact in Abuja. They know me as a peace loving man, gentle man of the law, and I relate with them in all capacity, I don’t look for problem and I am not the enemy of the police, so why should such thing happen.
“However, I have just been informed on investigation, that among people behind the carnage in my house, is one, a controversial business man, who has built library in Katsina and also schools in Katsina. That he has undertaking from the Fulani caliphate that he is the only one that would see to my killing, no matter the means it takes, he would use.
“If the intention of.the people.who came to.my house was to arrest me, they wouldn’t have done anything harmful. They would barely demand to see me, or worst case scenario, leave an invitation letter for me to come to the police. They have many ways of reaching me, even if I refused to report as I was asked to come.
“But the simple reason this happened is because, they were actually interested in getting rid of me from the way. They are only interested in killing me, because the governor have seen me as thorn in their flesh, because I am defending members of IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu.
“Because wherever they arrest any members of IPOB, I’ll be there to get them out. And in all court case with them, I have been defeating them, virtually in all cases I am doing against them. Because IPOB are mainly expressing their rights as constitutionally provided, and are not terrorist organization.
“Only few days ago, I was told that two members of IPOB were gunned down by the police. This was a matter I was preparing to take up before they invaded my house.
“I am calling on responsible bodies, international organizations, European Union, United Nations, United States, Amnesty International, and also United Kingdom to come and involve and investigate the carnage in my house because, I am homeless as I speak to you. They burnt down almost everything.
“And furthermore, it’s important to clarify that, many people were killed in the process. Now, I learnt that many people that ran inside the houses that were burnt, were killed. Until access is given to people who will investigate what transpired in my house, we can’t be able to determine the number of people that were killed.
“I can assure you that over 20 person’s have been murdered in my house on account of this incident, and my mum was also gunned down. She sustained a serious gun injury, though currently receiving treatment. I don’t know the offence I have committed for becoming a lawyer to IPOB.”
THISDAY