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• Seek declaration of May 30 as Remembrance Day, Kanu’s release
From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Aba, Abia State, has called on South East governors to declare May 30, every year as public holiday; a solemn Remembrance Day in honour fallen heroes of Biafra.
They also called for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu as a way of dousing the tension caused by secessionist agitations in the region.
They made the call at the commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the end of the Nigeria/Biafra war on January 15, 1970.
The group further urged government to urgently put in place policy programmes that will help reduce insecurity as well as weigh in positively on the wellbeing of people of the Southeast states.
Similarly, religious groups across the region embarked on prayer sessions to thank God, who brought the war to an end, for sparing their lives and giving hope to the people that were marked out for annihilation but survived at His mercy.
In an 8-point demand read on behalf of his colleagues, Executive Director, Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative, Obinna Nwagbara, called on the federal and state governments as well as non-state actors, to prioritise the security and welfare of the people in the region.
He said the continued detention of the IPOB leader, was a case of turning blind eye to the fundamental principles of justice and fair play, stressing that if the country must move forward, its leaders ought to embrace open and honest conversations to guarantee the restoration of peace and brotherliness in the society.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release, is not just a mere request, but a necessity for the restoration of peace and stability in the Southeast. His release, signifies a step towards healing and reconciliation, a step towards a future where peace and prosperity can thrive,” he said.
Nwagbara said security would be better managed in the Southeast, if the police created security posts instead of mounting roadblocks they used in harassing, intimidating and extorting money from innocent citizens.
In its prayer session at the Common Facility Centre, Industry Road, Aba, to mark the day, a foremost socio-cultural group, Igwe Bu Ike Ndigbo, thanked God for not allowing the Igbo to be wiped out as planned during the ill-fated war.
The members, prayed God to forgive the people for not returning soon after the war to thank Him for saving their land like Noah and his sons did after the flood (Genesis 8) and committed themselves towards interceding for Ndigbo wherever they are found or reside, the world over.
The Anglican Archbishop of Aba Province, Dr Isaac Nwaobia, in his message, admonished Ndigbo to always strive to be accountable to one another and remember that without unity, it will be difficult to achieve good results.
He said: “I want our people to realise that we cannot achieve any good results when we remain disunited. So, our governors, local council chairmen, legislators and even the led, must come together for us to succeed and move forward.”
He reiterated the call for government to free Kanu, and demilitarise the Southeast, as a way of dousing escalating acts of banditry, kidnapping and other criminal engagements in the region.
