USA: Former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, has once again called for the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is currently in detention under the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS).
Bianca, widow of the late Biafran leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the renewed plea for the release of Nnamdi Kanu during the annual convention of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) in the United States. AVID is an organization comprised of American citizens of Igbo descent, either currently serving or who have previously served in various branches of the U.S. military, reports GWG.ng.
In her remarks, Bianca highlighted the severe insecurity plaguing the Southeast, stating that the region faces an “existential threat” as escalating violence and kidnappings continue to wreak havoc on communities.
“The incessant killings and kidnappings, as well as the annexation and takeover of community farmlands by armed herdsmen and other dangerous invaders, have devastated our people’s agro and economic prospects,” Bianca said. “These threats have paralyzed social activities in most Igbo communities.”
She lamented that many residents are abandoning their villages out of fear, leading to a significant depopulation of once-thriving communities, with some areas now resembling ghost towns.
Bianca Ojukwu also called on Southeast governors, who serve as the chief security officers in their respective states, to take more decisive action both individually and collectively in tackling the escalating crisis.
However, she emphasized that the release of Nnamdi Kanu would be a crucial step towards restoring peace in the region. “Once Nnamdi Kanu is set free, the security situation in the South East would greatly improve,” she asserted.
Her remarks come amid ongoing calls from various groups and individuals for the federal government to release the IPOB leader in a bid to ease the tension in the Southeast and foster stability in the region.
