Richard Ginika Izuora
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Wednesday, passionately appealed to Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to brush off violence as the May 30 Biafran Day approaches.
The Pan-Igbo Group also warned the agitators to shun displaying Biafra flags during the remembrance of the defunct Republic.
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary General of the Organization, in a statement further called for the unconditional release of all Biafran agitators.
He said, “IPOB of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Biafra National Council of Asari Dokubo, MASSOB of Uchenna Madu, BIM of Ralph Uwazurike and Biafra-Zionists of Ben Onwuka and others are all our children. We urge them to desist from activities capable of militarization of Southeast and Niger Delta.
“It’s our commitment to enforce on all the agitators self-discipline, mutual understanding and strict adherence to the tenets of non-violent agitations and universally accepted norms of self-determination.
“Ndigbo will continue to identify with them until there is total restructuring of the country and end to the marginalization of Southeast.
The Group urged all Biafra agitators to go along with the request of Southeast Governors for a grace of six months to negotiate with the federal government and end marginalization of Southeast.
“We also implore the Southeast governors to use the window of June 12 Democracy Day to release all Biafra agitators in all the correctional service centres, especially in Imo State where the state government announced the random arrests of innocent people, mainly youths.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to interact with Southeast Governors on the best approach to handle the insecurity challenges in Southeast as guns, helicopters, gunships and ammunition will not end secessionist campaigns. Carrot and stick approach remain the best way to make peace with the agitators.
“The federal government should also rescind the shoot-at-sight order, just as we urge the Southeast governors to plead with the federal government for the withdrawal of military from the southeast.
“All activities of arms struggle, attacks on police formations and INEC offices in southeastern Nigeria must end; most police officers killed in these dreadful assaults are Igbo, and it must end quickly.
“Police and military special operations in the Southeast must respect human rights and put human face to deescalate the chaos and violence in the South East.”
It will be recalled that the IPOB and the Movement of for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra had declared May 30 for the Biafran anniversary.