Awka – Igbo Youth Stakeholders have demanded that the Federal Government and South-East Governors as a matter of urgency, unproscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as a terrorist organization.
The Igbo youths are also calling for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction.
This was contained in a communiqué issued after an expanded Southeast Igbo Youth Stakeholders Convention held today in Awka.
Among Igbo groups whose leaders in all five Southeast east states endorsed the communiqué, were Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing, National Youths Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Southeast, Nigeria Youth Congress, Southeast, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS and many others.
The leader, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Anambra State Chapter and Convener of the Convention, Comrade Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu who read the communiqué, described the proscription of IPOB as utter injustice, noting that when government made the pronouncement, the group was non-violent and not armed.
He maintained that the proscription of the group is among the key issues driving the instability and challenges faced in the region.
“As a step towards genuine peace and reconciliation as championed by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Federal Government and South-East Governors should as a matter of urgency, unproscribe IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) as a terrorist organization. Unproscribing IPOB is one measure that will enhance peace and stability in the region. Furthermore we call for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction,” Okpalaezeukwu said.
The Igbo youths condemned in totality, the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and called on the perpetrators to desist from such forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances.
“The heightened insecurity in the South-East which has resulted in the loss of lives of our people, security agents and properties is highly regretted and we deeply commiserate with the families of the bereaved. We therefore call on the South-East Governors to synergize and liaise with the relevant stakeholders especially the youth to arrest the current security challenges in the South East. We condemn in totality, the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and call on the perpetrators of these criminal act to desist from such forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances,” the pleaded.
They also called on all the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the ENDSARS panel report especially on Youth Development.
“We call on the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the ENDSARS panel report especially on Youth Development.
“We can call on the South-East Governors to review the Laws of their various State Security Council Committees, to include critical youth stakeholders.
“We call on the South-East Governors to fully implement, support and fund Community Policing Committee as constituted sometime last year.
“We further call on the South-East Governors to adopt business friendly policies to attract Ndigbo’s investments back home in Ala-Igbo.
“We urge our Igbo businessmen to consider and invest massively in Ala-Igbo (Aku Ruo Ulo).
“We reiterate for the sake of fairness, equity and justice that every Political party should zone their Presidential candidate to the South-East.
