George Obiozor, president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to use his prerogative of mercy on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and other Igbo youths in detention across the country.
Speaking at an event organised in his honour by Hope Uzodimma, Imo governor, in Owerri on Saturday, Obiozor said the federal and state governments should engage “restive” Igbo youths in a dialogue to resolve the crisis in the south-east peacefully.
Kanu is standing trial on an amended 15-count charge bordering on treasonable felony.
On Friday, the court struck out eight of the 15-count charge.
“We highly recommend that the federal as well as state governments engage the restive Igbo youths in some form of dialogue towards the peaceful resolution of the present crisis,” the president-general said.
“In this context, we equally appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to exercise his prerogative of mercy for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other Igbo youths in detention in various places.”
Obiozor asked IPOB to embrace peace and end its sit-at-home order, adding that the people in the south-east region are suffering as a result of it.
“We equally urge them to lift the sit-at-home order to restore normalcy in the south-east,” he said.
“The brunt of sit at home order is borne by the millions of Ndigbo families, who depend on their daily income for survival. Sit-at-home is not a favour to Ndigbo but condemnation of these countless millions of daily income earners to untold hardship.”
