New Telegraph 
Nnamdi Kanu )
…begs FG to attend to South East’s marginalisation cry
Our Reporter
The Conference of Igbo Youth Professionals Worldwide (CIYPW), has charged foreign governments, especially the United Kingdom (UK) and Isreal, on the urgent and compelling need to sanction the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, over his alleged incitement against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the Igbo group, the call had become auspicious against the backdrop of the fact that Nnamdi Kanu remained a fugitive to the law, having allegedly jumped bail that was granted him by Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The IPOB’s leader is standing trial before Justice Binta Murtala Nyako on a criminal charge of treasonable felony and other related offences.
The group alleged that the separatist leader had continued to take advantage of his abroad to incite his followers to violence and anarchy, thereby threatening national security and public safety.
It maintained that, in the eyes of the law, IPOB remained a “terrorist organisation”, having been so declared by a court of competent jurisdiction.
In the same vein, the Igbo youth organisation reminded both the federal and state governments where members of the outlawed group reside, to act more decisively, in view of the extant law proscribing the IPOB.
Accordingly, it tasked the military and other relevant security agencies to do the needful, as the law was on their side on the subject matter.
In a statement, Sunday, by its President-General, Barr. Maduabuchi Nwodo, the Conference of Igbo Youth Professionals Worldwide, charged Ndigbo across the globe to demonstrate courage by denouncing Kanu, IPOB, members and all that the group stands for.
The group said its call was anchored on the latest utterance of the IPOB leaders, where he incited police and military officers of Southern and Middle Belt extractions of resigning and burning their service uniforms.
“Kanu’s call was unilateral. He was not speaking for the Igbo Nation but for himself.
“We are disturbed at the incessant inciting statements coming from Mr Nnamdi Kanu, who has been parading himself as leader of Indigenous People of Biafra against the Nigerian state.
“We are aware of his status as a citizen of both the United Kingdom and the nation of Israel. Having worked and contributed effortlessly to see Nigeria at its present state, we believe that the United Kingdom and Israel would not want to see Nigeria a shattered place.
“It is in this regard that we are strongly appealing to them to rein in Kanu, whose activities have been against the unity of Nigeria.
“The latest call by Mr Kanu on the police and military officers of Southern and Middle Belt extractions not only to abandon their duty posts, but to also resign and burn their service uniforms, must be ignored.
“We wish to inform them that Kanu is alone in his cessation project and has nobody behind him,” the youth group said.
Even as it admitted that the South East region had not had its fair share in the one Nigeria project, the Igbo group said the pursuit of inclusive government must be channelled through appropriate lawful means.
“Though our people are highly marginalised and deserve the right for agitation, but that must be done legally and by the appropriate people not a deviant young man like Nnamdi Kanu who is out for his selfish interest,” it said.
Meanwhile, the group has thrown its support behind the lawful efforts by security agencies to check the excesses of IPOB members across the South East, and some contiguous states.
However, it called for more decisive steps to be taken against the Biafra agitators, saying more legitimate approaches will be adopted by the Igbo nation to achieve their demands.
“The Igbo nation constitutes responsible, law-abiding and patriotic citizens, who are prepared to achieve their goals within the confines of a united and indivisible Nigeria.
“This, we shall achieve through non-violence means, as persuasion and conviction are the tools we shall deploy.
“We, therefore, call on our brothers from the other parts of the country, to recognise our cry for marginalisation, and support our course to produce the next President come 2023.
“Also, we call on the Federal Government to reflect the federal character principle in all appointments, to give Ndigbo the opportunity to serve their fatherland.”
