Igbo leaders not committed to securing Nnamdi Kanu’s release – US-based CSOs

Two United States of America-based Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs), Rising Sun Foundation and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, have accused Igbo political leaders of being unfaithful to the bid to get the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu from detention.

The groups claimed that the reluctance of Igbo political leaders, particularly the governors and those aligned with Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo to advocate for Kanu’s freedom was worrisome.

This is, however, as the two groups acknowledged that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led presidency is gradually shifting toward the request of the Igbo people for Kanu’s release from incarceration.

In a statement on Monday in Abuja, the CSOs said that the Igbo nation and beyond should no longer remain silent as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu endures the unbearable conditions of detention in Nigeria’s Directorate of State Security Services (DSS).

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The statement was jointly signed by Chief Maxwell Dede Emole, Nduru Chebe Oha, Abiriba, and Dr. Remy Okea on behalf of Rising Sun Foundation Inc. USA, as well as Engrs. Evans Nwankwo and Benjamin Nwankwo for Ambassadors for Self-Determination.

“The actions of Igbo political leaders reflect a disheartening trend of prioritizing personal political ambitions over the collective welfare of the Igbo people,” they said.

“In public, they may call for his release, yet behind closed doors, they engage in negotiations that ensure his continued imprisonment.

“This duplicitous behavior encapsulates the phrase ‘maramara n’ihu, gwampiti n’azu,’ highlighting their tendency to play both sides for their gain.”

However, the CSOs demanded that Igbo leaders in Nigeria and the diaspora should rise in unity for the release of the detained Igbo Nation agitator and for the future of the Igbo people.

The groups said that as Kanu marks 30 months of unjust incarceration, Igbo leaders must amplify their voices against the violation of his rights, especially in light of several court orders demanding his unconditional release.

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