From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has explained why the Federal Government should release leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, immediately.
Chairman of the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, in a communiqué after a meeting with the elders, yesterday noted that Kanu’s release will facilitate a peace summit that would lead to an ensuring tranquility in the region.
Chief Iwuanyanwu noted that the lingering impasse in the region was getting out of hand, which ought not to be so, stating that Kanu cannot be in prison while such a crucial summit is being held.
“The council took a decision on the need to have a peace summit. It goes with the desire that Nnamdi Kanu should be released because we want to dialogue with his participation in order to have an enduring peace in Nigeria particularly in the South-East.
“The council therefore called on the Federal Government and all other persons concerned to release Nnamdi Kalu unconditionally.
“The security situation in the country calls for concern. The council was worried particularly how the situation has worsened in the South-East.
“Lives are lost and innocent blood is being shed, properties are being destroyed, government institutions are being destroyed; these are of great concern to us.
“Moreover, both state and federal governments are deploying huge financial resources in fighting a meaningless war instead of providing infrastructure, education and healthcare.
“Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide has therefore insisted that enough is enough.
“We must have a Peace summit where we will get all the stakeholders including the agitators and youths together to chart a new course that can enthrone enduring peace,” he said.
He discarded the insinuation that the South-East would secede from Nigeria, noting that people still use threat of secession against the interest of the zone, noting that the Igbo have invested in virtually every localities in Nigeria in areas of business, services, and building properties.
“So the talk of secession is peddled without honesty, however Ndigbo is only interested in fairness and equity,” he said.
