The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, a prominent Igbo socio-cultural organization, has called on the Federal Government to take advantage of the negotiation opportunity presented by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
During his trial on Wednesday, Kanu suggested the possibility of an out-of-court settlement regarding the treasonable felony charges against him. This was mentioned in front of Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu’s lead lawyer, Ejimakor Aloy, urged the court to apply Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act, which allows for reconciliation and amicable settlement in criminal or civil matters. He noted that he had previously discussed this with the Federal Government’s counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, who had indicated that the timing was not yet right.
Reacting to this, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, issued a statement on Thursday, appealing to the government to accept Kanu’s reconciliation proposal. Okwu emphasized that the Igbo community has always supported a diplomatic resolution to Kanu’s case. With Kanu now opening the door for reconciliation, Okwu urged the government to seize this opportunity to restore peace in the South-East.
He stressed that the extensive violence witnessed in the South-East over the years makes any price for peace worthwhile. Okwu appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to initiate the dialogue process promptly.
Additionally, the Igbo group called on those responsible for the attacks in the South-East to reconsider their actions, echoing Kanu’s condemnation of the violence. They appealed to the attackers’ conscience to stop making young women widows and children fatherless in the name of freedom agitation.