On Thursday, the leading Igbo socio-cultural organization conveyed a message to President Bola Tinubu, expressing that the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), would be the most significant Christmas gift for the people of the Southeast.
This plea comes in response to remarks by Chief of Defense Staff Christopher Musa, who accused self-proclaimed Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa of undermining security efforts in the Southeast. Ohanaeze, however, contends that showing mercy to Kanu would simplify Musa's task and diminish Ekpa's influence.
Ohanaeze argued that Kanu's release would end the Southeast's artificial security challenges, fabricated by criminals exploiting his name as a pretext. In a statement endorsed by the factional Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isisguzoro, Ohanaeze lamented that killer herders and criminals have exploited the Biafra agitation to terrorize the Southeast.
The statement urged President Tinubu, as a respected political figure, to consider the plight of the Southeasterners and release Kanu promptly, allowing them to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in a peaceful environment. Ohanaeze emphasized that restoring peace through Kanu's release would make the services of the Chief of Defense Staff and Security Chiefs unnecessary in the region.
Expressing dismay over the unjust suffering inflicted by Fulani herders and criminals, Ohanaeze highlighted the alarming discovery of over 70 individuals brutally murdered by herders operating from the Lokpanta Cattle Market in Leru Umunneochi, Abia State. The organization called on Tinubu to address the failures of past administrations that contributed to the current insecurity challenges in the Southeast, citing a loss of over 42 trillion naira since Kanu's incarceration and the criminal invasions by Fulani herders during the Buhari administration.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo believes that the release of Nnamdi Kanu would not only bring comfort to the people but also reinstate confidence in the leadership's commitment to the welfare and security of the Igbo community.
