The Hanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has demanded that the Federal Government drop the amended charges against detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu and settle the case outside of court.
In a statement released in Owerri on Tuesday, the group’s National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, said the cases between the Nigerian government, Kanu, and the Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, could lead the country to peace if handled diplomatically and tactically.
He did warn, however, that “if the Federal Government insists on heating the polity of Nigeria’s quest for secession through legal means,” the country could be destroyed.
He attributed the problem’s escalation to the government’s treatment of Kanu, which he said began with Ralph Uwazurike and continued until now.
“The Igbo demand for self-determination is proof of how they (the Igbos) have been treated in Nigeria since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.” “The colossal failure of southeast leaders, including governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, ministers, members of the House of Assembly, and other political leaders in the zone, contributed to economic decay, raising the demand of the young generation to seek the actualization of the State of Biafra, which was started by Dim Ikemba Odimegwu Ojukwu in 1967,” Igboayaka said.
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He urged the Federal Government to engage in dialogue and negotiation with the leaders of all pro-Biafra groups, emphasizing the importance of releasing all detained Biafran activists, beginning with Nnamdi Kanu and Benjamin Onwuka.
“To avoid violent reactions from other groups, the Nigerian government should follow the path of dialogue and negotiation in dealing with pro-Biafrans,” he added. “There are more Igbo young men more controversial on the issue of Biafra restoration than Nnamdi Kanu.”
The group claimed that 15 members of MASSOB, a pro-Biafra organization, had been laying waste in Anambra and Awka prisons for 13 years, including a pregnant woman, Mrs Onyedika Orji, who gave birth in the prison, according to the group.
“Many members of MASSOB have been imprisoned in Nigerian prisons since the year 2000,” the group added. “In Anambra and Awka prisons, about 15 members of MASSOB have been imprisoned for the past 13 years.”
Miss Okwudili Bassey, who was 18 at the time of her unjust arrest, Uche Idikaigbo, Micheal Okezie, Uchenna Nicholas, Peter Igbokwe, Ikechukwu Aghara, Chima Asor, and Chinweike Irondi were identified as MASSOB members by the group. Sabastine Amadi, Casmir Odakara, Ojemba Anyanwu, Eni Kalu, Ndubuisi Okam, Ikechukwu Chinwem, Emmanuel Orji, Chukwuma Kalu, Chidiebere Chikwem, and Mmaduabuchi Asika are among the other players.
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