From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Widow of Biafra leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Bianca and former Senate minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, have, for the umpteenth time, called for the release of detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
They made the call at the just-concluded 2024 annual convention of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, where the issue featured prominently. Re-echoing the call for the IPOB leader’s release, the former Nigeria Ambassador to Spain, Ojukwu, as special guest at the event, affirmed that his freedom would greatly improve the security situation in the region.
She highlighted the need for Igbo in diaspora to continue to uphold and defend their core values, their sense of identity and their heritage. She further said their concerns about the security situation in the South East were justified, adding that the situation was not peculiar to the region, but a scourge ravaging most states in Nigeria.
Ojukwu said: “The incessant killings and kidnappings, the increasing rate of annexation and takeover of community farmlands by armed herdsmen and other dangerous invaders have taken their toll on agro and economic prospects as well as social activities in most Igbo communities.”
The former envoy called on the five South East governors to apply their collective will and collaboration more effectively in tackling the spate of insecurity in the region, warning that the trend posed an existential threat to life in the Igbo homeland.
According to her, opportunistic criminal elements within Igboland had, under the guise of the separatist agitation bandwagon, committed heinous crimes, and seemingly degraded the capabilities of security forces with their superior firepower. Abaribe traced the current state of insecurity in Igboland to 2021 following the interception and rendition of Kanu from Kenya as well as his illegal detention till date.
The outspoken senator representing Abia North wondered why the South East has remained the zone with the highest number of police and army checkpoints per kilometre in Nigeria, yet, the so-called ‘unknown gunmen’ and sundry insecurity purveyors roamed about fearlessly in the zone, causing devastation without check.
He said it is only when the government and its security agencies genuinely want to tackle insecurity that it will be severely reduced across the country. The theme of this year’s conference: “Stand up for your people,” reflected largely on the issues facing the Igbo homeland, most especially the insecurity crisis which has enveloped several states in the South East.
Daily Sun gathered that the convention which drew critical stakeholders from the South East, serving personnel and veterans of the United States military forces, captains of industry and academia, Veterans representative officials from the office of the Governor of North Carolina and several Igbo associations, presented the platform for dialogue, strategy and exchange of ideas for the advancement of Igboland.