In a meeting with the new governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is said to have decried the wanton and senseless killings ongoing in his home nation, the South Eastern part of Nigeria.
This was disclosed to the public on Saturday by the governor who said he visited and held a meeting with the IPOB leader who is currently in detention by the Nigerian government.
The IPOB leader is currently being held at the facility of the DSS, the Nigerian secret police in Abuja.
In the said meeting, the IPOB leader was quoted by Prof. Soludo to have referred to the incessant murder of various people in the region as “sacrilegious killings” and clearly expressed sorrow over the development.
The governor said that his visit to meet with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on Friday was part of his ‘wider consultations’ to bring about security of life and property and lasting peace in the South East and regional neighbours.
NOTABLE QUOTE
Governor Soludo have said the following in a social media post:
“I visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, (Friday, 13th May, 2022) to felicitate with him and also as part of the wider consultations with critical stakeholders in search of lasting peace and security in the South East.
He was in very high spirits and we had quality and frank discussion in a very convivial atmosphere. He expressed sadness over what he described as “sacrilegious killings” of innocent persons, kidnappings and all forms of criminalities, including the brutal enforcement of the senseless “sit at home” perpetuated by sundry groups claiming to be acting for or on behalf of IPOB.
“He assured that if the opportunity arises, he will be glad to personally broadcast to his followers to maintain the peace.
Together, we shall restore peace, security and prosperity in Anambra and the Southeast.
It is well indeed!
Soludo, CFR”
KEY FACTS
- The new governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo made a vow during his inauguration to pursue and achieve lasting peace and security in the South East region.
- His vow was in response to the deteriorating security situation in the entire region, which has been the case over a period of time now.
- The peculiar case in Anambra State strangely went high with almost a daily record of killings and kidnapping in the days leading to the last governorship election that brought in Prof. Soludo into office.
- However, this spate of killings drastically reduced immediately after the elections, but have recently began to go up in numbers yet again.
- During his inauguration, Prof. Soludo proposed dialogue with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and every other groups of interest in the region to encourage lasting peace and security in Anambra state and the entire South East region.
- In this regard, the new government also used same occasion to announce an amnesty programme for all gunmen in the state.
- He also declared an end to the so much abused sit-at-home policy of the IPOB group, which have disrupted economic activities in the region.
- The governor`s order banning the Monday`s sit-at-home has however, not been effective in the state or anywhere across the region because the people still obey the contrary order from IPOB out of fear of harm from IPOB enforcers.
BACKGROUND FACTS
Nigeria`s seat of power, Aso Rock, Abuja holds the position that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is behind the violence in the region. In some occasions, the same Nigerian government has also accused some “unknown gunmen” of the bloodlettings and criminalities in the region.
In contrast, IPOB have continuously denied any involvement in the deadly attacks in the region. The group have instead maintained that the Nigerian government is responsible for the attacks and are masquerading as the so-called “unknown gunmen” for deniability.
IPOB contends that the Nigerian government is perpetuating the violence and using it to blackmail IPOB as a violent and criminal organization. This according to IPOB and some independent sources, play into the government plan of painting IPOB as a terrorist organization.
