The umbrella body of the Ijaw youth, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC), has called on the Federal Government to adopt dialogue in the resolution of the issues giving rise to pro-Biafra protests in some parts of the country.
The IYC, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, yesterday, said adopting a military approach to crush pro-Biafra protesters as being suggested by some military operatives was not the solution.
The youth body said such approach would only escalate the crisis, and therefore, warned against military brutalisation and human rights abuse by security agencies.
The IYC said, “The right to peaceful protest is an integral part of a democratic society.
“The massive pro-Biafra protests in recent times have once more brought to the fore the need to honestly and holistically renegotiate the terms of Nigeria’s existence as a nation.
“To claim that all is well with Nigeria is self-deceit. The structure of Nigeria must be such that would allow people from different regions to develop at their own pace towards realisation of the full potential which is being hindered by the wish of people from other parts of the country.”
The IYC once again called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the founder of Radio Biafra and director of the Indigenous people of Biafra.
It said Kanu, having been granted bail, and bail conditions fulfilled, it amounted to illegality for the Directorate of State Security to continue to keep him in detention.
The IYC advised national security agencies to have regard for the rule of law in the exercise of their constitutional functions.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East, yesterday, kicked against the on-going agitation for the actualisation of Biafra, warning that the development could scuttle Igbos’ chance of producing the country’s president in 2023.
Spokesman for the South-East APC Leadership Caucus, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, reacted to the on-going agitation in a statement which was made available to our correspondent in Enugu.
Renewed agitation for Biafra, which was partly triggered by the detention of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), and director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, had led to massive protests in major cities of the South-East and South-South.
The protesters, including members of the IPOB and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), are demanding the recognition of Biafra, and Kanu’s immediate release.
The development had divided opinion among leaders in the South-East, and there are reports that state governors and other major stakeholders would meet in Enugu on Tuesday to deliberate on the matter.
However, the South-East APC has urged the agitators to “stop beating their war drum” in the interest of the Igbos.
Okechukwu, in the statement, expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari would honour the zoning convention by handing power to the South at the end of his second term in 2023.
Noting that an Igbo is best positioned to emerge as president when the office rotates to the South in 2023, Okechukwu said the pro-Biafra agitation should not be allowed to scuttle the chance.
He said, “Going by the zoning convention, equity and natural justice, surely the Presidency will rotate to the South in 2023.
“And when the presidency rotates to the South in 2023, we (Igbos) have all the cards stacked in our favour to appeal to our brothers in the South-West, who have had eight years stint, and our South-South brothers, who had five years plus in the presidency since 1999, when the 4th Republic commenced.
“Every rational indicator favours Ndigbo and so, we need to drop our hate propaganda and wait patiently to harvest the turn of the South-East,” he said.