A mother of four in Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria, has cried out over the danger facing her husband, a Biafra activist and member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Speaking recently in an interview, Mrs. Anesthesia Adaobi Obi, wife of a Biafra activist, Mr. Ekene Kingsley Obi, lamented that she has not set her eyes on her husband since Nigerian security agents forced him to flee for his life in the latter part of 2023.

“My dear husband, a non-violent member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by the detained Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was forced to run away for his safety after being pursued by Nigerian security agents from Lagos State, where he was a trader, to our hometown, Anambra, where he was trying to pick the pieces of his life together.

“He managed to escape abroad and cannot afford to return home now because the Nigerian Government has continued to arrest and detain IPOB members despite being declared a non-terrorist group by the courts. Even the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has remained in detention despite court orders for his release,” Mrs. Anesthesia Adaobi Obi lamented.

Tracing the beginning of her husband’s troubles, Mrs. Obi Anastasia Adaobi said it started in June 2017 anonymously following the invitation of one of his friends by name Ifeanyi, and attended one of the separatist group’s routine meetings at Alaba International Market Lagos State Nigeria.

My husband later told me that he attended a meeting of the group and while the meeting was in progress that very day, the venue was raided by Nigerian police officers and a lot of chaos ensued. He was among those who managed to escape but later learnt that his name was mentioned by one of the arrested IPOB members when they were being tortured,” she said.

Mrs. Obi recalled that two weeks after the incident, police officers raided some shops at Alaba International Market Lagos State, including her husband’s shop he once more managed to escape while those who were not so lucky were arrested and detained.

“My husband’s shop was eventually sealed by security agents in 2019 after their failure to apprehend him. He had to return to our hometown in Anambra State in June 2020, travelling by night bus to evade the police. He took to farming upon his return but to our great surprise, our home was raided by a police team searching for IPOB members. Thankfully, my husband was not home when they came. Convinced that his life was in danger, he ran away for his safety,” she said.

Describing her husband as a peace-loving person, Mrs. Obi said: “My husband is not a troublemaker and has been disassociating himself from problem within the state and country at large. He is a peaceful and loving husband and father who wants justice for his people. At 57 years of age, his only concern is for a better life for his family and for his persecuted people.”

Continuing, she said: “We pray for God to safeguard and bless him so that he can take good care of us as he used to do before he was forced to flee for his dear life."