…Diaspora group decries killings, disappearances in S’East
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Igbo elders from across the South East on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Umuahia, demanding the “immediate and unconditional release” of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Clad in traditional isi agu attire, the elders—men and women—assembled at Akanu Ibiam Avenue, popularly known as Bank Road, before marching to the Government House gate where they delivered their message to Governor Alex Otti.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Chief Chukwuemeka Engineer expressed outrage over Kanu’s prolonged incarceration and deteriorating health. He accused South East governors and political leaders of insensitivity and urged them to take decisive steps towards securing Kanu’s release.
The elders argued that Kanu’s detention was fueling insecurity in the region and maintained that his release would help restore peace. They urged Governor Otti to mobilize his colleagues to lead a delegation to President Bola Tinubu on the matter.
“If the South East governors and other political elites speak with one voice, the President will listen,” one of the elders said, stressing that Kanu’s continued detention was not in Nigeria’s best interest.
Contributing, Chief Chinedu Obilor noted that if the Federal Government could engage in dialogue with bandits, it should be willing to pursue a political solution in Kanu’s case.
Responding on behalf of Governor Otti, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, commended the elders for their peaceful protest and assured them that their demands would be communicated to the appropriate authorities. Chief of Staff Caleb Ajagba, who accompanied the SSG, appealed to the elders for patience.
Diaspora Group Raises Alarm
In a related development, the diaspora-based Igbo group, Ikenga Think Tank North America, condemned what it described as “genocidal killings and forced disappearances” in the South-East.
In an open letter signed by its President, Dr. Dunkwu Agbambu, the group accused South-East political leaders of silence over Kanu’s detention and the worsening insecurity in the region. It also faulted security agencies for alleged complicity.
The group demanded a united condemnation of “targeted killings and unlawful persecution of Igbo youths,” as well as the immediate release of Kanu and other detained Biafra agitators. It also called for the withdrawal of military checkpoints across the South East.
“We, the sons and daughters of Igbo in the diaspora, write to you with hearts heavy with grief and indignation,” the group said.
“Your silent complicity in the face of persecution and systematic extermination of Igbo youth is an unforgivable betrayal of our people and history itself.”
The statement further accused Igbo leaders of failing to live up to the legacies of the region’s founding fathers, warning that history would hold them accountable for their “actions and inactions.”
“You are constitutionally obligated to secure the lives and property of Ndi Igbo,” the letter read.
“By remaining passive while terrorists ravage the land and while Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains unjustly incarcerated, you bring shame upon our ancestors and our people.”
The group urged Igbo leaders to put the interests of the region above personal or political considerations.
“The time has come to choose: to stand with your people or be remembered as accomplices to their destruction,” it warned.
