Ohanaeze: Nnamdi Kanu never issued quit notice — yet was charged with treason
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex socio-political organisation of the Igbo, says northern youths asking the Igbo to leave the north should be treated like Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In an interview with PUNCH on Sunday, Chuks Ibegbu, its deputy national publicity secretary, said that is “the only way the government can convince Nigerians that there is justice, equity and fair play” in the country.
He said unlike what the northern youths said, Kanu “never” issued a quit notice to the northerners in the south-east.
Ibegbu said the northern youths who gave the order should not only be arrested but “charged with treason”.
“The authorities know that these northern youths are calling for secession,” he said.
“The federal government should arrest them and also charge them with treason. That is what we expect the federal government to do.
“He [Kanu] was only talking about self-determination, which he has the right to aspire to under international laws.
“The question every Nigerian should ask the federal government is, how come you clamped Nnamdi Kanu in detention for calling for self-determination, but you have not arrested these northern youths who are promoting secession?
“About three days after making the threat, despite outrage expressed across the country, they are still holding meetings, issuing more threats. Are the security agencies not seeing the youths holding meetings?
“How come none of them have been arrested? What is giving them the confidence to continue to issue threats?” he asked.
He also said the Igbos won’t be pushed to issue a similar quit notice to the northerners in the south-east, adding that they are “too sophisticated to engage in such behaviour”.
“They [northerners] are welcome and nobody will molest them in the south-east,” he said.
“In fact, we are encouraging the northerners in the south-east to expand their businesses, build factories and prosper as much as possible.”
He however said that contrary to Kanu’s demand for a sovereign state of Biafra, Ohanaeze believes “the Igbo are landlords in Nigeria and cannot leave this country for anybody”.
“Ohanaeze believes more in a restructured Nigeria; a Nigeria that has a level playing field for all sections of the country; a Nigeria that gives each part of the country a sense of belonging.”
Whilst I disagree with the quit notice from the Northern youth, it remains for the law to determine if telling a group of people who says they don’t want to be part of the Nigerian project to leave is treasonable or not.
One thing that is certain, and let no-one forget or mince words here Nnamdi Kanu through his radio Biafra was instigating against the state Nigeria,. He has threatened the sovereignty of the state and its people through the threats he has made and let’s not forget soliciting for funding to buy arms against Nigeria. If anyone is in doubt of these facts pls go to YouTube and the evidence is there.
Even if Biafra want a sovereign state,the Igbos should not vacate their state of residents. Its their right to stay anywhere they like. They should not be told to vacate.
Roy, whilst I agree Biafrans should not have to vacate their states of residence, it is hard not to ask them to go. The hate and insults many tribes have had to endure from the Ibos thus far over Biafra is unacceptable. If Nigeria does not break up over this, Ibos are likely to play less of a role in the political space because other Nigerians will not and cannot trust them. The Ibos through this have created a wound that may be hard to heal.
If things go the other way, and Nigeria breaks up, I am sure those left in Nigeria or those who break away also will not want to deal with the Ibos trade or no trade. Again, the trust issue will arise.
There is no hate, there is no insult done to anyone by the Igbo, asking for what is good for the goose to be good for the gander has now become insult is it? You people are unbelievable. An Igbo man will come to a place, toil hard buy land build up, create commerce and make the place economically viable and you call it insult,? What else has the Igbo man done? Asides make money for himself and his kin. The system is flawed and am sorry if your not able to see it or see it and choose to turn a blind eye to it because it favours you. All the Igbo is asking for is a level playing ground, equity in all things justice in all things, it’s simple. Why do I have a factory in Onitsha and have to clear my materials at Lagos agile the same govt of the day refuses to upgrade and make warri and PH ports sort for the same purpose, why? Why? Why? These questions beg answers… The Igbo man has not insulted anyone, neither has he stolen anyone’s property, so a situation where you threaten one and make audible advances towards his hard earned properties – where is the equity in that?