As nerves continue to fray over the recent Supreme Court verdict okaying the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Ndigbo have been advised to be united to be able to get anything meaningful from the Federal Government.
The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese on the Niger, the Right Reverend Owen Nwokolo gave the advice in a chat with newsmen at the Bishop’s Court, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha.
Recall that the Supreme Court had on the 15th of December, quashed the Appeal Court ruling absolving Kanu of all terrorism charges, directing that his trial continues.
Speaking on the matter, Bishop Nwokolo regretted that the Federal Government missed an opportunity to bring about lasting peace to the Southeast region.
According to him, people had expected that the Supreme court would have used the opportunity to seek for ways to calm the strained nerves.
“But since it’s the highest court in the land, there is nothi
He however noted that the major issue is that people of southeast must learn to work together to make the region safe, united and peaceful.
“United we stand, divided we fall. We can work together to make Igboland united and progressives by showing empathy to the things that are happening.
“We can then, in that unity, speak to the government of the land because the way I see the Kanu issue, it is a political case. And since it is so, it should be handled politically.
”The courts cannot even adjudicate on it without having recourse to the political leaders. Because if you imprison Kanu, you are sending many Igbos to jail and the country will not be at peace. If you release him, you are releasing many Igbos.
“So, I believe their continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, will only unsettle the land more and Nigeria does not need such things to continue.
“So, we need to come together as Ndigbo, go to the Federal Government and urge them to release this young man and other things can then follow,” he posited.
The prelate further harped on the need for people of the Southeast to also work towards entrenching lasting peace in the region and shun acts that aggravate the insecurity in the region.