Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Barely one week after the United Nations, UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, requested Nigeria to unconditionally release the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a Coalition of 52 Northern Groups, CNG, Friday, asked the Federal Government to ignore the request.
CNG which rejected the position of UN, accused the world body of bias in its attitude towards certain regions of the country.
The coalition maintained that Nigeria is a sovereign country and should not be dictated to by the UN.
CNG Spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, who addressed newsmen in Abuja, urged UN to immediately withdraw its demand for Kanu’s unconditional release, arguing that the IPOB Leader is in lawful custody.
The coalition accused the UN of emboldening Kanu and Biafra agitators whom it said were destroying Nigeria.
He argued that the entire Africa would have no peace if Nigeria were destabilised.
According to him, “it is unacceptable to Nigeria and Nigerians, and in particular to the North, that the United Nations will endorse the platform and space to be used by Kanu and IPOB in promoting anarchy and campaigning for genocide in Nigeria.
“We demand the United Nations to immediately withdraw the call for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu from the lawful custody of the Nigerian authorities.
“The CNG cautions the United Nations that their intervention, exclamations and actions should never be drawn to discountenance the effort of the Nigerian state to protect citizens from violence and to impose law and order.
“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to maintain the sanctity, dignity and integrity of Nigeria and uphold and defend its sovereignty by resisting and rejecting such demands from any quarter.
“Lastly, it is important to caution the United Nations to weigh the impact and consequences of backing these perpetrators of indiscriminate violence, wanton destruction and collective mayhem, that fervently hope it will engulf the entire country and bring about another civil war and mass killings and suffering of innocent people.
“As the most populous country on the continent and one that continues to influence peace and stability across the sub-continent, any breakdown of law and order will only compound the security and humanitarian situations in the region.”
Ikengaonline had exclusively reported that the UN gave Nigeria six months to ensure compliance with the opinion or the body would consider other steps to take.
The UN which indicted both Nigeria and Kenya for Kanu’s rendition, also requested that adequate compensations be paid to him while those officials responsible for torturing him should be punished.
