'They're provoking us to war', IPOB leader accuses Army

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has accused the Nigerian Army of trying to provoke the group into a war following reports that his Umuahia home was attacked on Sunday, September 10, 2017.

While reports indicated that soldiers had tried to gain access into Kanu's father's compound in Afaraukwu and shot at IPOB members who formed a human shield to keep them out, the army has dismissed the claims and said the soldiers had been attacked with stones while passing through the residence in a new armoured carrier.

However, Kanu has said the army's leadership is lying to the public about the encounter, claiming that the soldiers were indeed after him.

While speaking to the press on Monday, September 11, Kanu said, "At the end of the junction of this untarred road is where they parked their tanks. I saw them, go and watch the video. They moved up and they reversed and came back.

"They turned their tires to come in here, and the young men said no, they won't come in; that's exactly what happened.

"Their intention was to come here to ransack my family home, and we will not have that. That is what happened yesterday."

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He further accused Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, of trying to incite the movement into arming themselves to deliberately provoke a war.

He said, "Nigeria is bringing war to us, we're not fighting anybody. It is Buratai and his men that are bringing war unto us.

"They want us to become armed so that the world can say that Nnamdi Kanu is leading a violent armed group, which is not the case.

"They're provoking us to war."

The IPOB leader also maintained that the only way to end the group's agitation for an independent Biafra is through a referendum.