The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has appealed to governors in the South East to withdraw the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), asserting this is a critical step toward restoring peace in the region and fostering constructive, lawful dialogues.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, made the call in a statement highlighting that the South East Governors Forum, in September 2017, declared IPOB a prohibited group across the region. Former Ebonyi State governor and Chairman of the Forum at the time, David Umahi, was quoted as saying that the proscription had attained the intended outcome.
Onwubiko recalls Umahi stating that IPOB had strayed from its original purpose, instigating unnecessary unrest and violence in the South East, stunting the region’s investment potential.
However, HURIWA disputed the decision to proscribe IPOB, which led to the military’s action against the group, including the arrest and detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. HURIWA is now urging the region’s recently elected governors to mitigate the damage by revoking the proscription of IPOB to reduce violence in the region and to convince President Bola Tinubu to free Kanu.
In addition, HURIWA condemned Simon Ekpa’s continued enforcement of the sit-at-home order, claiming it has resulted in widespread murder of Igbo people and has stunted the region’s economy.
In other news, IPOB commenced the dissemination of flyers and posters across the South East yesterday, indicating the suspension of the sit-at-home exercise in the region. IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, made this known in a statement, clarifying that the move reflects Kanu’s declaration to discontinue the practice.
SOURCE: The Guardian
IMAGE: Vanguard
