Apex Igbo organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday rose from its Imeobi (highest decision organ) meeting in Enugu and called on the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained Director of Radio Biafra and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), unconditionally.

Ohanaeze’s demand was contained in a communique jointly signed by its National President, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, and the Secretary General, Dr. Joe Nworgu.

It noted that agitations and public protests over Biafra had been exacerbated by the detention of Mr. Kanu.

Ohanaeze insisted that the exclusion of Ndigbo in the decision-making structure of Nigeria constituted a clear and present danger to the unity and well-being of the country not only now but also in the future and as such should be immediately addressed.

While advising that all issues relating to the incarceration of Kanu be treated more as a political than a security matter having become the focal point of the public protests, Ohanaeze also demanded for the immediate creation of a national platform with major objective of addressing the immediate causes that have triggered the present public protests.

It said when set up, the platform would also be saddled with the responsibility of revisiting and addressing latent and long-standing issues that have continued to threaten the evolution of Nigeria into a modern and united nation where all constituent parts have equal sense of belonging.

The communique of the meeting attended by representatives of IPOB and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) reads in part: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organisation of Ndigbo in Nigeria and the Diaspora, is gravely concerned by current wide-spread and public Biafra agitations in states of the South-East and some other states of Nigeria.

“These agitations and public protests have become exacerbated by the detention of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the promoter/proprietor/director of Radio Biafra by Department of State Services, DSS.”

It further stated that “Ohanaeze Ndigbo fears that these developments may threaten the security and peaceful co-existence of Nigerians wherever they may be domiciled, and consequently, decided to summon an emergency meeting of Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo to discuss the situation.

“This emergency meeting was held in Enugu at the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Sunday, (yesterday), November 29, 2015. Representatives of the various organisations and associations involved in the current public protest also attended the meeting.

“The Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, after extensive candid discussions and analysis of the situation is of the view that the current agitations are the direct result of the excruciating pain of severe injustice, marginalisation and exclusion of Ndigbo from decision making structures in Nigeria as currently configured.

“The Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo strongly avers that the exclusion of Ndigbo in decision making structure presents danger to the unity and well-being of the country, not only now, but also in future, and should be redressed urgently.”

The Imeobi gathering witnessed the presence of Igbo leaders such as Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, former Anmabra state governor, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Bishop Obi Onubogu and Eze Cletus Illomuanya.

•Pieced together from Vanguard and ThisDay reports. Photo shows Nnamdi Kanu acknowledging cheers in court . . . last week Monday.

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