The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council has decried the continued detention of the supreme leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government. It also flayed the unabated insecurity and killing of innocent people in the country.
Addressing reporters, yesterday, in Owerri, the Imo State chapter president of the body, Chidi Ihemedu, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate the immediate release of the IPOB leader in the interest of peace.
He insisted that beyond the charges levelled against the chief agitator, he was entitled to say or agitate for anything he felt that was not going well in the country or against his people.
Ihemedu added that his release would put an end to the insecurity and socio-economic challenges confronting the country, particularly in the South East states.
He said: “I want to say that there is no need for the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu. In fact, there is no need at all. You have arrested him for alleged charges but the situation now does not warrant the continued detention of the young man.
“Apart from giving him the publicity of being a political detainee, he should be let go. And mind you, he is entitled to his agitation. There is nothing wrong in agitation. After all, we have people that agitated in one way or the other for Nigeria’s independence.”
On the 2023 general elections and the clamour by Ndigbo for the presidential slot, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo chieftain insisted that anything short of giving the Igbo the opportunity to produce Nigeria’s next President come next year would be at variance with equity, equality, fairness and national character.
He added: “There should be zoning of the presidency in 2023. That is the equality and equity we are talking about. That is also the principle of national character that is enshrined in our Constitution.
“As we have already said, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is going to support any political party that gives the Igbo race the opportunity to become the President of this country this time around.”
