The Federal Government and Igbo leaders have been urged to intensify efforts in dousing rising tension in the South East region.
Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum and the Monday Diamond Foundation, at a joint press briefing in Enugu State, at the weekend, stated that the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and rigours associated with his trial were fuelling tension and insecurity in the region.
They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use Kanu’s trial slated for October 21 as an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment towards the stability, peace and economic prosperity of the South East, by ensuring that it (trial) followed all rightful judicial processes as enshrined in the law of the land.
Spokesman of the group, Monday Diamond, explained that given the IPOB leader fair hearing would go a long way in stopping the purported attempts to mar the forthcoming Anambra governorship election and collapse of business activities in the South East with the weekly sit-at-home exercise.
He lamented that the South East had lost trillions of naira from missing out severally on the first day of working weeks, due to the sit-at-home order issued by IPOB over Kanu’s detention.
The groups expressed concern that the rising spate of insecurity and violence in the region would escalate if nothing was done to stem the tide.
“If a region that is a part of the One Nigeria equation says they should be fairly treated, especially as it concerns their general welfare and political positions in the country, it is the responsibility of the father of the nation to treat the issue judiciously and diplomatically,” Diamond asserted.
According to him, children no longer go to school on Mondays in the zone, while the people continue to live in fear over the activities of unknown gunmen who go about attacking facilities and killing innocent people.
His words: “While we commend the leaders of the South on their efforts towards managing the rising tension in the South East, we request the South-East leaders to intensify more efforts towards engaging the Federal Government to give Kanu a fair hearing, especially as the commencement of his trial, which is slated for October 21, is around the corner.”
He used the opportunity to call on the people of Anambra to turn out en masse and vote for the candidates of their choice in the November 6 governorship election in the state, as the groups were planning a debate to address restructuring and other thorny issues in the country.
