Ahead of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state, prominent leaders in the South East region, led by the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and Christian leaders have appealed to the Federal Government to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to them in order to stop the orgy of killings and destruction in the region.
While also calling on the Federal Government to de-proscribe IPOB and release its members in detention, the leaders urged IPOB not to do anything that would hinder the smooth running of the election.
It also pleaded that all scheduled sit-at-home orders should be cancelled, as these have already caused untold hardship for our people.
In a joint statement on Sunday, the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops asked the Federal Government to de-militarise the region.
While seeking audience with President Buhari on the issue, the leaders said the militarisation of the region had resulted in the killing of Igbo youths and burning of communities by soldiers.
The leaders stated that the heightened inequality and marginalisation of Ndigbo in the scheme of things in Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government remained at the core of youth restiveness in the region.
They warned that until the Federal Government took deliberate steps to run a government on the basis of fairness, equity, justice and non-discrimination ‘this restiveness is likely to continue’.
The statement was signed by Chairman, South-East Traditional Rulers Council and Chairman, Ebonyi State Council, Igwe Charles Mkpuma; Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Council of Abia, Eze Joseph Nwabeke; Anambra, Obi Nnaemeka Achebe; Enugu, Amb Lawrence Agubuzu and Imo State, Eze E. C. Okeke.
