The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has reaffirmed its position that the continued detention of leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government was “escalating tension and ill-feelings” in the South East and urged the government to release him.
Ohanaeze Youths said that it has intelligence report that the continued detention of Kanu could spark off “a total breakdown of law and order in the entire South East and South-South zones soon.”
In a press statement, OYC noted that Kanu’s continued detention even against court orders portrays President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as anti-Igbo.
Signed by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said “intelligence reports available to the Igbo youths indicated that there could be a total breakdown of law and order in the entire South East and South South zones if Kanu is not released soon.”
OYC expressed dissatisfaction that the Federal Government would continue to hold Kanu who has never taken up arms against the state while captured members of the Boko Haram terror group were being released from detention.
“It beats the imagination that terrorists who have been responsible for the death of innocent Nigerians are being released while unarmed freedom fighters are kept behind bars against court orders.
“This bias poses serious threat to our peace and national unity, and we hope the President will address it before it becomes too late”, the group lamented.
On the political crisis in Abia State, Ohaneze youth Council warned against any action that could further escalate it and urged all parties to wait the outcome of courts’ resolution of the crisis.
The group however said that it supports the State’s Charter of Equity principle which supports recommends power rotation among the senatorial zones for justice and fair play to thrive.
“Anything that truncates the zoning arrangement in the state could pose security threat which will not be in the interest of any body. As Igbo youths we can’t afford to sit back and watch any Igbo state be put into avoidable crisis.
“Removing Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu who is the first and only governor from Ukwa/ Ngwa zone amounts to short-changing the entire Abia South zone as other zones have produced two term governors. We advise that the wise decision of the founding fathers of the state who put in place the power rotation arrangement be respected to give peace a chance”, the statement stated.
