Not less than 983 agitators for the Sovereign State Biafra are being incarcerated in various Correctional facilities across the seven Igbo speaking states in Nigeria, the youth chapter of the pan Igbo socio cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has alleged.
The group also maintained that that out of the number,”182 Igbo prisoners of conscience mainly youths and women are currently languishing in Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre on awaiting trial over cases of Biafra agitation between 2016 and 2021”.
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) Worldwide in a press statement today declared that “it’s our obligations to alert the Federal Government to ensure that whatever Nnamdi Kanu stands out to benefit must be extended to these youngsters whose crimes were only wearing of Biafra costumes and identity cards, no matter what. This is the first time we are speaking for their behalf, and they deserve pardon like Nnamdi kanu”.
He cautioned against segregation on the ongoing classified negotiations between a few Igbo politicians/elder statesmen and the Federal Government for the release of a few leaders of Biafran agitators
The statement reads, “The federal government should ensure that the Igbo negotiation team who are ready to help Federal Government have a secret peace deal with Nnamdi Kanu must include these Biafran detainees in any decision to be reached.
“FG should use the government’s instrumentality to secure the release of all the Biafran detainees in various Correctional facilities at Port Harcourt, Asaba, Owerri, Awka, Enugu, Umuahia, Onitsha, Abakiliki and Aba for peace to restored ” the Federal Government should demand the comprehensive lists of all Biafran detainees and join it in the ongoing peace deal with Nnamdi Kanu’s team”.
“We are using this medium to plead with all repented Biafra firebrands to lay down their grievances and surrender to the federal government and receive clemency and acquittals.
“This is the finest hour for all intending and repented Biafran members to come out and embrace peace, we will lead them if the need arises to convince the Federal Government and Southeast governors to accept them and rehabilitate them, for peace to return to Southeast, there are over 2500 of intending and repented Biafra youths scattered across the Southeast that craves for a rehabilitation programme if Federal Government had rehabilitated deadly Boko Haram members and have been reintegrated them back to the society, what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.
“This is the best way to end up the uprising in the Southeast; it’s to free all the prisoners of conscience in their custody”
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
