Ohanaeze calls for one-month ceasefire in South East

• FG, AGF file application for counter affidavit on Kanu suit
• HURIWA asks attorney general to produce IPOB leader in court

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has appealed to restive youths in the South East to deescalate tension for one month.

Following the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the region has experienced heightened insecurity and restiveness.

A statement issued by OYC President-General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, in Abuja, yesterday, reads: “It is only proper that at this juncture, the National Assembly caucus and the two governors, who are making moves to secure Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom, be given a chance.

“This is not the first time the Senator Ike Ekweremadu-led National Assembly caucus will be playing this role; they did it in the past and it was fruitful. So, we advocate that they be given the benefit of the doubt.

“To this end, we appeal that every form of restiveness should cease, henceforth, till a period of one month, within which we expect to see visible progress towards the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”

The statement added: “There have been claims that the Federal Government is delighted with the insecurity in the South East. We don’t want to believe such an assertion. However, they should disprove it by ensuring Kanu is produced in court on the 21st of this month.

“Anything to the contrary would mean adding fuel to the already ignited fire but we are not praying for that. If the Federal Government actually wants peace in the South East, let them release Nnamdi Kanu. Anyone interested in peace in the zone should think of Kanu’s release, not sending the military. Brutal force has never solved any problem.”

The Federal Government and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), meanwhile, filled an application, yesterday, seeking leave of the Abia State High Court to file and serve a counter affidavit and other processes on the fundamental rights suit (No: HIN/FR 14/2021) between Kanu and the Federal Government, AGF, and six others as respondents.

It was gathered that the Federal Government and the AGF failed to file their documents within the time allowed in fundamental rights suits because of their alleged delay in assembling facts for their defence.

The suit, which was filed on behalf of Kanu in August 2021 by his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, was on September 21, 2021 returned to the state Chief Judge by Justice K. C. J. Okereke, who had been handling it as a vacation judge.

Also, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to produce Kanu in court for trial on October 21, 2021. In a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said the detained leader must be produced alive in court for trial unless the government has a sinister motive to precipitate an uprising in the South East.