OHANAEZE Ndigbo socio-cultural group has said that it is already working with all groups of people to ensure that founder and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu is released from detention.
The group stated this during a telephone interview with The ICIR on Wednesday in reaction to the growing tension, especially in the South-East part of the country, over the detention of Kanu.
Ohanaeze Spokesperson Alex Ogbonnia said the group was working with members of the National Assembly and leaders from the South-East to proffer a political solution to the matter.
“We are collaborating with all groups of people, including members of Ndigbo in the National Assembly, to ensure that there is an amicable and legal solution to this matter so that Kanu will be freed,” he said.
While reacting to the recent statement by IPOB threatening to shut down the South- East region if Kanu was not produced in his next court appearance by the State Security Service (SSS) to continue his trial, Ogbonnia appealed to the group to think about the economic pains the lockdown would have on millions of Ndigbo living in the region.
He noted that he did not believe that Kanu, whose freedom IPOB was fighting for, would want to lock down the whole South-East for a month to inflict economic pains on those he was trying to liberate.
“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.
“The only purpose of the lockdown is to suffocate the Igbos. There would be a lot of problems, including losses of good services.”
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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