…says criminals behind murders

…appeals to Tinubu for political solution to Kanu’s detention

John Alechenu

The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo and the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, have denounced the killing of security personnel by unknown armed men in the South East.

President General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said this while answering questions from newsmen shortly after a three hour meeting with Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Iwuanyanwu said the senseless killing of security operatives by a gang of “criminals” does not enjoy the support of all right thinking Igbos, the leadership of Ohanaeze as well as Nnamdi Kanu, whom he referred to as “my son.”

According to him, the detained IPOB leader who condemned the killings also condemned the sit at home directive given  by some persons in the South-East.

Iwuanyawu said, “ We have a group called IPOB even recently, there were wild allegations against me as the leader of Igbos. They wrote against me, Nnamdi Kanu is not with them.

“Telling people not to go to work on Mondays -there is even one today. The truth about it is I discussed with Nnamdi Kanu, he is very sad about it.

“He said it sometimes last year, he said it to me today that he is not part of this sit at home thing. Two things that have made Igbos develop is education and business enterprise. There is no Igbo family that you don’t find these two things.

“… I even heard that military personnel were killed today Nnamdi Kanu does not support it, we do not support it.

“The criminals who did these are people who escaped from prisons with nothing to do. I will discuss these issues with South East governors when I return.”

He appealed to President Ahmed Tinubu to find a political solution to Nnamdi Kanu’s detention because it was no longer a judicial matter but a political one.

Iwuanyanwu further said, “ I think this is a political thing, I urge the President to use his political power to release him.”

The Ohanaeze leader explained that several youths from the South West, South South and other areas, have also been agitating for self determination but none of them was behind bars for expressing themselves.

He, however, lamented that Kanu was being discriminated against. Iwuanyawu said,  “ Kanu is my son, every Igbo man is my son. He has been detained for so many months.

“I have reviewed the matter critically, many Igbos have reviewed the matter very critically and we are of the opinion that Nnamdi Kanu doesn’t deserve the kind of punishment he is getting.

“Nnamdi Kanu, like all youths in Nigeria expressed their unhappiness because they lack opportunities, they believe there is discrimination.”

Iwuanyanwu went down memory lane to recall that there have been agitations for self determination since independence starting from Isaac Boro in the Niger Delta to northerners calling for sessesion.

He called for restructuring to enable each region develop at its pace because each has its history, culture and customs. He cited the example of Great Britain which has various federating units but still functions as one nation.

Earlier, Ohanaze leader led a delegation which included the Secretary General, Chief Okey Emuchey, the Eze Ndigbo of Abuja, Eze Nwosu and the former Chairman of the Police Service Commission Dr. Simeon  Okeke among others to meet with Kanu  at the DSS Headquarters where he is currently being detained.

The delegation entered the DSS Complex at about 1:05pm and left at about 4:15 pm.