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Igbo youths have decried the collusion of some African countries in the arrest of activists, who agitate for secession due to oppression and marginalisation of their people and regions in Nigeria.
They said it was disheartening that rather than assist in the campaign for good governance in Africa, some countries on the continent have succumbed to the Nigerian government against those who express divergent views of the system.
The youths under the aegis of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), therefore, urged the international community to assist southern Nigerians and Christians, stressing that the actions and policies of the Federal Government indicated that they were no longer safe.
President General of COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem, said: “The attention of COSEYL has been drawn to the interception and abduction of Sunday Adeyemi (Sunday Igboho) by security agencies of Benin Republic to be handed over to the Department for State Services (DSS) in Nigeria.
“The unlawful interception and abduction of Igboho, who has championed the Yoruba self-determination group, is illegal and against the laid down international law guiding extradition.
“It is said that some African countries now abduct activists canvassing self-determination for their people. Globally, calls for self-determination have become lawful, and as such, Igboho has not committed any crime.
“Igboho did not just start calling for Oduduwa Republic. His agitation started when Fulani herdsmen and terrorists took over Yoruba forests, started killing and kidnapping Yoruba people on daily basis, while the Federal Government did nothing to stop them.”
Ibem said that declaring him wanted and arresting him was like shutting the mouth of those who speak the truth on negative developments in the country.
“Benin Republic has no right to abduct Igboho in their country. If anyone should be arrested and extradited, the Nigerian government should follow due court process according to international law guiding extradition. The international community should sanction Benin republic for Igboho’s unlawful interception and abduction in their country.
“Those who should be arrested and prosecuted by the DSS and other security agencies are the Fulani herdsmen and terrorists, who are bent on Fulanisation agenda and killing people on daily basis to take over the entire country for foreign Fulani, who want to be given land for permanent habitation.”
He argued that Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu’s ‘abduction’ was tantamount to a declaration of war on Southern Nigeria by the Federal government whose democracy dividends and fiscal policies are targeted against Southern Nigerians and non-Muslim communities in the North.
