Unarguably, the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has become a socio-political factor in Nigeria largely by the security action of the Buhari administration. Is like, the security chiefs did not learn anything from the frequent arrest and holding of Ralph Uwazuruike of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
By harassing, persecuting, and detaining certain people because of their politico-religious view points, and agitation for self-determination, the government helps in growing them into socio-political factors. By a factor here in the case of the IPOB’s Kanu, we mean, an influence that is contributing to certain results.
With his massive followership within and outside Nigeria, the IPOB chief has the capacity of making things happen. You may not like his daring guts he has proven to be in charge of Eastern Nigeria, the hotbed of his Biafra agitation with his IPOB machine. The weekly sit-at-home order of the Biafra mass movement defied the governors’ threats and persisted with a heavy cost on the region.
As of last September, First Vice President of Nnewi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NCCIMA), Moses Ezukwo, said the development robbed the region comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States of over N50 billion; adding that the loss in the private sector amounted to over 60 percent.
Of this amount, unverified statistics said the transport sector loses at least N3 billion any day there is a lockdown in the region. An average of one million people move around, in and out of Eastern Nigeria each day, at N3, 000 per traveller. No doubt, it is assumed that the action has dug a big hole in the economy of the five states of the region.
Despite the lifting of the order, parts of Enugu State including the metropolis remained locked down on Monday to press for the release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB announced the cancellation of the sit in protest last November 5, prior to the recently concluded Anambra state governorship election following appeals from some Igbo leaders.
The apex Igbo organisation, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide hailed and backed the cancellation of the sit-at-home protest. Recently, Ohanaeze reiterated its position in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, wherein the group enjoined the public to resume normal actives as according to it, the era of sit-at-home was over.
Eastern governors had also echoed this pledging to work for the release of the IPOB leader, and followed up its cancellation order with a call for the arrest of anybody trying to enforce the sit-at-home in the name of IPOB.
Despite all these, business, government and commercial activities were all shut in Enugu on Monday. Markets, motor parks, supermarkets, shops, restaurants and banks as well government offices and other concerns were shut to the public, for inexact reasons.
Observers posit that residents accepted the development as welcome in sympathy with the IPOB leader and his cause, while others comply out of fear of enforcement by IPOB members yet some others are simply undecided and confused.
The roads including the major high and express ways as well streets are all bare. There have been no significant security beef-ups and patrols and there has been no incident of violence anywhere.
In the meantime, the scared Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is urging President Muhammadu Buhari to reject the request of some notable Igbo leaders, demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu. For the Forum, there are neither safe, constructive nor informed grounds for granting the request, and advised the President not to delay in announcing that the judicial process in the case of Kanu will be allowed to run its course.
In a statement by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in Abuja, the Northern elders are saying, “Northern Elders Forum has carefully studied the request of Igbo Elders for President Buhari to terminate the trial of Nnamdi Kanu and release him unconditionally’’, noting that President Buhari’s response which both raised very weighty issues related to the request, and his commitment to consider it.
“The Forum notes that there are no safe, constructive or informed grounds for granting the request, and advises that President Buhari will do serious injury to a country already threatened by multiple challenges to its security and territorial integrity if he delays announcing the only responsible response, which is that the judicial process in the case of Kanu must be allowed to run its course.”
Apparently unshaken, IPOB has fired back at Sheikh Gumi, an overt spokesman of bandits, describing as total madness and mischievous for anybody to compare it with bandits. The Biafra agitators are contending that some once-respected Nigerians have turned themselves to bandits advocates and doing everything possible to demonise IPOB, to give the impression that it is a killer group like Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and bandits terrorising the North.
IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement said “the attention of the global family of IPOB, ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the ranting by a once-respected Nigerian who has turned to bandits advocate.
“The supposedly respected Muslim cleric Sheikh Gumi, has mischievously placed agents of death and mass murderers like Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and bandits terrorizing the North at par with peaceful IPOB members. This is not only sacrilegious but insanity taken too far. In case Gumi has forgotten, Fulani bandits and herdsmen are already designated the fourth deadliest terror organisation in the world.
‘’IPOB as a peaceful movement maintains its presence in over 100 countries of the world without any molestation. It is only in Nigeria that Gumi and his likes will liken IPOB to a terror group that it is not. What a blackmail!
“Gumi should hide his face in shame for his open support for mass murderers, while on the order hand claiming to be an Islamic cleric. It is because of people like him that bandits and terrorists keep spilling blood across the country because they know he will always make a case for them.
“Were Nigeria to be a sane society, Gumi and his types should have been serving their jail terms for their unhidden sympathy for terrorists. We believe that definitely one day he and his likes will have to tell the world all they know about bandits and terrorists and how much that passed through them to the mass murderers as ransom.
“Can Gumi be honest to tell the world if IPOB has kidnapped anybody at any time and demanded ransom for him to liken us with bandits? Can he swear by Allah that IPOB has carried out any terror attack against anybody at any time? IPOB remains a peaceful movement with the mandate of restoring the Sovereign State of Biafra. We believe in peaceful restoration of Biafra and our philosophy has not changed.
“Sheikh Gumi should tread with caution. The world is watching him for hobnobbing with bandits and terrorists. He should stop deceiving himself the world already knows who he is working for, and whose interest he defends. Sheikh Gumi, tell us your friend, and we will tell you who you are! An advocate of bandits can’t claim to be a true Islamic cleric or scholar.”
