A group, Ibeku Youth Assembly (IYA) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to allow the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, return home and bury his late parents, Eze Isreal Kanu and Ugoeze Sally Kanu.
The youth group pointed out that any attack on the IPOB leader by Nigeria security operatives if he surfaces for the funeral of his late parents, may spring up avoidable war, which it opined will lead to the final death of Nigeria as a democratic nation.
Ibeku Youth Assembly is the apex youth body in the hometown of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
DAILY POST recalls that Nnamdi Kanu had last November announced the demise of his parent, Eze Isreal Kanu and Ugoeze Sally Kanu and blamed the incident to the alleged invasion of his Afaraukwu Ibeku Umuahia residence by soldiers of the Nigeria Army in 2017.
However, the IPOB leader in a statement last week, announced February 14 for the final interment of his late parents.
Kanu said that he would not reveal his security strategy to ensure he return home and bury his late father and mother.
However, in a statement signed and issued to newsmen on Monday in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, the IYA President, Comrade Kingsley Nwabuko, called on Buhari-led government to grant Nnamdi Kanu presidential pardon, as well as step down his treason trial for the corporate peace of the country.
According to the organization, “Federal government should see reason and pardon the agitator. He needs to return home as the first son of late Eze Isreal Kanu to bury his parents. Kanu and IPOB are armless in their clamor for Biafra republic.
“They have been peaceful in their demand. Buhari should compel the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to withdraw charges against Nnamdi Kanu and engage the IPOB leader to further dialogue, so that there will be calm in the south east zone.
“It is obvious that the Igbos have continued to be marginalized in this Nigeria system, particularly the present government. South east has been relegated to the background, and they cannot boast of any government presence in the region. This is what led to myriads of agitation in Nigeria today.
“Again, it is in our knowledge that foreigners will attend the burial of Eze Kanu. Government should be careful to avoid any foreigner being killed by the military. Because, any foreigner that government’s forces attack or kill as a result of IPOB agitations may cause heavy crisis.
“We urge the South East Governor’s Forum led by Governor Dave Umahi to meet with President Buhari again and fashion out solution, ways to invite Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB for dialogue before the funeral date.
“Federal government, the Nigeria Army should also apologize to Kanu’s family and the people of South East over invasion of Umuahia home of the IPOB leader, which he (Nnamdi) he claimed led to the death of his parents.”
