Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As condemnation and public outcry trail the turbaning of a ‘repentant’ leader of bandits by an Emir in Zamfara State, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called for immediate arrest and prosecution of the Emir.
The Emir of Sabon Birnin Yandoto, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Aliyu Garba Marafa, on Saturday, conferred a chieftaincy title to a notorious ‘repentant’ bandits’ leader, Adamu Aliero, crowning him Sarkin Fulani (leader of Fulani).
Although the Zamfara State Government has on Sunday, announced the suspension of the affected Emir, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, however says that mere suspension is not enough.
The apex Igbo group argued that the action of the Emir amounted to open endorsement of banditry.
According to Ohanaeze, if the Emir were not decisively sanctioned, others might begin to celebrate terrorists, thereby portraying Nigeria as a country where mass murderers are celebrated.
Speaking with Ikengaonline, the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Chiedozie, expressed disgust over the action of the Emir which he described as a huge and unimaginable embarrassment to Nigeria.
The Ohanaeze Spokesman argued that the action of the Emir was a clear indication that “he is an accomplice.”
According to him, “that Emir has shown by his action that he is an accomplice. He is one of them. He should be arrested. He should be arrested without delay and treated as a bandit.
“Government should use him to locate other bandits wherever they are.” The Ohanaeze chieftain described the development as very sad and annoying.
“What is happening in Nigeria is annoying; it’s a huge embarrassment and a puzzle to the international community.
“To turban a bandit is a grievous offense. And you have about 100 other bandits that accompanied him to the ceremony in jubilation and later went scot-free. Who is fooling who?
“Where are those other bandits now? Why is it that non of them has been arrested? Where are the security agencies? All the money being spent on security, how is it used?”
The Spokesman of Ohanaeze, renewed call for the unconditional release of the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, arguing that his continued detention will not bring any solution.
He said that political solution remained the only panacea to the matter around Kanu, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to heed the growing clamour for Kanu’s release.
Ohanaeze wondered why the Federal Government would be reluctant to consider political solution for someone seeking an end to injustice against his people while notorious terrorists and mass murderers are being regularly freed, empowered and “now openly celebrated.”
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be released. What we require in his matter is political solution. Detaining him will not solve anything.
“Nnamdi Kanu/IPOB phenomenon is a product of injustice, a reaction to marginalisation and alienation.”
He observed that the careful exclusion of Ndigbo by the two major political parties in the country in their presidential tickets was part of the injustice that the IPOB is complaining against.
“Look at the trend of the 2023 election when everybody knew that it was the turn of Ndigbo/South-East to produce the next President, how the two major political parties started playing around it until they tactfully schemed the South-East out of it and gave their presidential tickets away from Igboland.
“And when Nnamdi Kanu talks, somebody will say that Kanu is agitating! What do you want Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB to do?”
