The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday took a swipe at the Swiss Embassy in Nigeria for denying members of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and those they described as first hand witnesses to the Nigerian Army massacre of unarmed civilians at Kanu compound in Isiama, Afaraukwu, Imo State entry visa to Switzerland.

The group accused Swiss embassy in Abuja of electing to play in aiding and abating the unlawful disappearance of people in Nigeria.

IPOB described their action as a case of criminal conspiracy between a member of staff of the Swiss embassy in Abuja and the Nigerian Government saying it would deny United Nations investigators access to vital information and facts surrounding the murderous invasion of Nnamdi Kanu's compound by the Nigerian military.

A statement made available to journalists in Awka by IPOB media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, said: “Instead of commending the UN for their intervention, the Swiss embassy instead chose to act out of character by appearing to support impunity and gross violations of the rights of the Kanu family to seek justice.

“The conduct of the Swiss embassy is unbecoming of a civilised country, who by this action, appear to be collaborating with the murderous Buhari regime in their persecution of Biafrans.

“It should be pointed out to the Swiss embassy in Abuja that Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the younger brother of our leader, visited the United States of America recently on a two years multiple entry visa and returned to Nigeria.

“With all due respect, it is given that most people seeking to overstay their visa would rather prefer to do so in the US than Switzerland. Therefore the reasons given by the Kogi-born employee at the Swiss embassy for refusing visa to the Kanu family is laughable.”

IPOB recalled that IPOB women had in the past months attended a conference in Baltimore, Maryland USA, and duly returned to their respective countries of abode after the event.

The group wondered why the Swiss Embassy chose this line of action even when the life of humans was at stake.

The statement further said: “Is the Swiss Government through their embassy in Abuja giving tacit support to abuse of human rights in Nigeria? Is Switzerland seeking to influence or impede the work of the United Nations?

“The United Nations office invited the Kanu family to meet them in Switzerland to ascertain what truly transpired during the massacre of the 14th of September 2017 at Isiama Afaraukwu during Operation Python Dance This ugly episode necessitated the enforced disappearance of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, his aged parents and other family members of IPOB since last year.

“It is important we state clearly that our leader’s whereabouts is still unknown since that very invasion. If the United Nations have chosen to invite surviving members of the family to a meeting in Geneva to ascertain the facts, why is the Swiss Embassy stopping it?

“A copy of the UN letter inviting Prince Emmanuel Kanu and the rest of the family to the event in Geneva is in the possession of the Swiss embassy, so why the reluctance to issue the entry visa if not for political considerations.

“Should the Swiss government allow this travesty to subsist, IPOB will have no option than to regard it as an accessory to mass murder and promoter of human rights abuses in Africa.”

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