He also warned the Nigerian government not to hold the 2023 general elections in the region.

Some gunmen terrorising Southeast Nigeria have released a video showing the kidnapped chairman of Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, Chris Ohizu on his knees in a bushy area.

Ohizu was last Friday abducted at his home in Imoko community in Arondizuogu town.

The gunmen were said to have shot the chairman first in the leg and bundled him into a waiting car before setting his house ablaze.

In the video obtained by SaharaReporters, Ohizu was seen kneeling down in a bushy area.

One of the unknown gunmen was heard in the clip threatening to kill the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.

He also warned the Nigerian government not to hold the 2023 general elections in the region.

“Hope, hear the voice once again, you see this man kneeling down here, carry that your face up. Hope, I know you must know this man. I want you to watch the video, watch it very well, the way I’m killing this man is the way I’ll kill you very soon,” he was heard saying.

“You think moving around with soldiers, hiring soldiers will solve the problem. Hope, I thought you are a sensible man. I don’t know that you are a foolish idiot.

“Enough is enough that we must fight that Biafra is restored. Hope, either you people like it or not, as far is Eastern region is concerned, there is no election. We can’t accept that, if not, you people will be dying one after the other.”

The clip however did not show whether the council chairman was later killed.

The South-East region has witnessed increasing attacks on security agents, government facilities and prominent individuals following the arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Although IPOB has denied culpability for the spate of attacks and killings in the geopolitical zone, security agencies have blamed the atrocities on the separatist group.