Nnamdi Kanu meets Igbo leaders in Enugu over Biafra

*Sit-at-home order’s success shows unity of Ndigbo, says MASSOB

Apparenyly buoyed by the success of the sit-at –home exercise called on Tuesday by

agitators, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, stormed Enugu yesterday and held closed door meeting with some Southeast leaders under the auspices of the Ala Igbo Development Foundation (ADF).

At the over two hours meeting chaired by the president of the ADF, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, were Archbishop Maxwell Aniekwenwa; a former Ohanaeze president-general, Dr Dozie Ikedife; Secretary general of Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), Prof Elo Amucheazi; a former Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie; Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Ebere Chukwu, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzo, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Bishop Obi Onubugo among others.

Although resolutions of the meeting were not disclosed, it was however gathered that it was used to strengthen relationships among other Igbo groups in the agitation as well as provided opportunity for advice on the Biafra struggle.

Meanwhile, three organizations, the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) and Igbo Women Assembly yesterday hailed Ndigbo for their resilience in the struggle for the realization of Biafra.

They and a Biafran activist in the diaspora, Iyke Celestine Udeze, commended Kanu for his leadership qualities. The groups stressed that “by word of the mouth, the entire eastern region and beyond were locked down completely. The lesson here is threefold, one, our people showed all, their loyalty to the IPOB, two our people also openly announced their total rejection of Nigeria as presently constituted, and finally our people decided to leave no one in doubt of our preference for freedom as opposed to eternal servitude.”

Udeze who fled in the wake of the crackdown on pro-Biafra agitators, also condemned the activities of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, describing both groups as terrorists.

Igbo residents in Kaduna Stae have explained why they defied the order to sit at home. An Igbo trader from Anambra, Chinnedu Obinna, at Sheikh Abubakar Gumi market told The Guardian that he could not afford to stay at home and lose customers, saying that “almost everyone of my fellow Igbos was at the market selling.”

Others said a that majority of the Igbo could not sit at home in order to avoid trouble. However, the leader of the Movement For Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Comrade Uchenna Madu, said the success of the order was a signal to the international community that ‘Biafrans’ were united in the agitation.

He explained that MASSOB was not against Nigeria’s existence. “Biafra can as well exist as a sister nation with Nigeria like any other African country,” he stressed.

But for what it described as a threat to national unity, peace and security, a group under the auspices of South East Peoples Assembly (SEPA), has asked Federal High Court, Abuja, to revoke ‎the bail earlier granted Kanu.

Kanu was granted bail on April 25, by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, majorly on health ground. The Judge had stated then that she admitted Kanu to bail because of his ill-health and the fact that she was convinced Kanu needed more medical attention than the Nigerian Prisons Service was giving him.

While Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, standing trial alongside Kanu were rejected bail, the Judge however imposed strict conditions on Kanu’s bail.

In a letter to the Chief Judge of the‎ Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, dated May 31, the group stated that it was shocked to note that Kanu has continued to conduct himself in a manner considered totally at variance with the bail conditions.