Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim, has condemned the continued detention of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as a “national embarrassment.”
Kanu, a British-Nigerian citizen, since his re-arrest in July 2021, has been detained at the DSS facility where he is facing terrorism trial at a Federal High Court, Abuja.
Bishop Ibezim while delivering his presidential charge at the second session of the 13th diocesan synod held at the Church of Pentecost, Awka, Anambra State capital, urged the Federal Government to release the IPOB leader for peace to reign in the South-East and the country at large.
According to Ibezim, “continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu is a National embarrassment. The synod calls on the president, Ahmed Tinubu, as a matter of urgency to release Nnamdi Kanu for peace to reign.”
The Bishop further emphasised the need to ensure justice through fair distribution of power in the country, calling for an Igbo to be given a chance for a leadership position at the national level.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. Eastern Nigeria has suffered a lot, and for Nigeria to be peaceful, the Igbo must be given a chance in National leadership of the country.
“The truth remains that injustice sets back a nation and once injustice is imbibed into a people, no amount of force can quell it unless justice is done,” he said.
The Bishop also warned that the country is transiting to economic and political perdition, urging Tinubu to wake up from slumber to avert looming crisis in the nation.
He said “Nigerians are enduring immense suffering as the prices of essential commodities soar to higher and higher levels. The unbearable pain of poverty and hunger that Nigerians are forced to endure may result to unbearable situation that may unseat the peace of the nation.”
Ibezim said the situation has now been compounded by the weakening naira due to the forex exchange situation and the increased pump price and electricity tariff and pondered what the leadership of the country is doing to avert the looming danger and crisis.
He called on president Tinubu to overhaul his economic policies which he said are bereft of necessary transformative values for the country’s economy.
