OHANAEZE Ndigbo socio-cultural group has kicked against the recent sit-at-home threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a telephone interview with The ICIR on Wednesday, Ohanaeze Spokesperson Alex Ogbonnia urged IPOB to reconsider the decision as the proposed lockdown would have adverse economic and social consequences on residents in the region.
Ohanaeze noted that it does not believe that Nnamdi Kanu, the founder and leader of IPOB, would want to lock down the whole South-East for a month to inflict economic pains on those he was trying to liberate.
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“I don’t want to believe Nnamdi Kanu will shut down the entire South-East to inflict injuries and pains on those he claims to be liberating. I don’t think he would,” he said.
“The only purpose of the lockdown is to suffocate the Igbos. There would be a lot of problems, including losses of good services.”
Ogbonnia stated that Ohanaeze was working with members of the National Assembly and leaders from the South-East to proffer a political solution to the matter and ensure that Kanu was released from detention.
He also called for unity among the Ndigbo nation for a common purpose to address issues affecting the people of the region.
“We are collaborating with all groups of people, including members of Idigbo in the National Assembly, to ensure that there is an amicable and legal solution to this matter so that Kanu will be freed.”
IPOB had in a statement on Wednesday threatened to declare a month-long lockdown in the South-East if its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is not produced in his next court appearance slated for October 21, 2021.
The group alleged that the Federal Government had perfected plans to keep Kanu perpetually in court by not bringing him to court to continue his trial.
It warned that its peaceful disposition should not be misconstrued as a weakness by the Nigerian government, stating that Kanu’s perpetual incarceration without trial had worsened his health.
Kanu was rearrested and brought back to Nigeria in June four years after his trial on charges of treasonable felony.
Trial Judge Binta Nyako had, on June 29, ordered Kanu to remain in SSS custody.
But in July, the court could not continue the trial after the SSS refused to produce him in court because of ‘logistical” issues.
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