Edited By: Goodluck C. Ekeagba
On Vanguard News of 31st May 2017, an article written by Ikechukwu Nnochiri with the title: BIAFRA: South East Assembly Asks Court To Revoke Kanu's Bail was published.
A group of Igbo people which is supposedly under the aegis of a larger group who identified themselves as South East People's Assembly (SEPA) demands the Federal High Court in Abuja to revoke Nnamdi Kanu’s bail. This request, which was contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Judge of the court, Justice Ibrahim Auta by the group on May 31, 2017, signed by SEPA President, Prince Chukwuemeka Okorie urged the Judge to ensure that the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu is re-arrested as a matter of urgency.
According to the article, "SEPA maintained that the IPOB leader has continued to conduct himself in a manner that is totally at variance with terms and conditions of his bail, among which included that he must not hold rallies, grant interviews or be in a crowd of more than 10 people."
Before anything is said on the ongoing issue, it is pertinent we understand whose interest SEPA is protecting. Is SEPA protecting the interest of the Igbo people in entirety or are they protecting the interest of their paymasters? If Nigerian government is wise enough, with the outcome of 30th May, they ought to know who the opinion molder in the Southeastern region of the country is. The people obey command from ONLY one central source. SEPA is an unknown group as long as Southeastern region is concerned. Therefore, the Court without a second thought should waive their call for re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.
The group is reported to have said: “Obviously, the recklessness with which he made media statements and even organised the ‘Sit at Home and Stay Indoor’ protest to mark the so called BIAFRA HEROES DAY on Tuesday, 30th May, 2017 is a threat to the unity, security and peace of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.
Nigerian government should not forget how precarious and dicey the case of Nnamdi Kanu is.
It should be understood that the bail conditions of the IPOB leader, as spelt by the court, is impossible. The condition that he must not been seen amidst more than 10 persons was broken the same day he was granted bail. More than 10 persons bid him welcome upon his release. The government saw all that and kept mute; but now the likes of SEPA, Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) of Uwazuruike are pulling the hands that pull the trigger. Now that the people have pledged solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu, re-arresting him would trigger a threefold tragedy to the country.
The groups calling for his re-arrest may be those who have disappointed their paymasters, having failed to disorganize the sit-at-home order. The call is a pretense; they have failed to deliver. Their paymasters should, as a matter of urgency demand refund without conditions.
With the ugly experience of his first arrest, the government of Nigeria should not allow miscreant groups to draw the nation into a precipice of further disaster.
The first tragedy would be a renewed and strengthened protest for his release throughout the country. This is because IPOB is gaining popularity as the day goes. SEPA, BIM and others could not and cannot command obedience from the people because of their unpopularity; not even the governors can, at the moment.
The second tragedy would be the crippling of business activities and civil unrest throughout the country.
The third tragedy would be a renewed animosity among the citizens and stiffened political crisis all over the nation. Each of these, must not be dismissed with the waive of hands.
To prove that the people are completely loyal to the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, all obeyed his sit-at-home order.
To that effect, this is the reaction of the people:
According to Emeka Mamah's report, the Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA, Igbo Youth Movement, IYM and the Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, have commended the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, for “a successful” sit-at-home protest which paralyzed the entire Eastern Region and beyond on May 30, 2017.
The ECA leaves no one in doubt of Ndigbo’s preference for freedom as opposed to eternal servitude in Nigeria, while both the IYM and IWA said that the IPOB founder, Nnamdi Kanu was “their leader in whom,” they are well pleased.
In their separate reactions over the outcome of the civil disobedience, which paralyzed Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo States and partially grounded Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Asaba in Delta, as well as Bayelsa State, the three Igbo sociocultural groups further lauded Kanu for directing the sit-at-home in the entire region and beyond stressing that the exercise must be repeated often.
The Federal government of Nigeria should be wise enough to foresee danger looming large, and to forestall it.
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