By Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
For the first time since the saga of Nnamdi Kanu’s detention commenced, elders and leaders from the Southern part of Nigeria have unanimously demanded that the federal government should release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) without further delay.
This was part of the demands contained in the 11-point communiqué issued by the Southern Nigeria People s Assembly (SNPA) at the end of the expanded elders/management committee meeting yesterday.
The communiqué read by the Chairman of session, Chief Mazelike Amaechi, was also signed by co-chair/leader of South South, Chief Edwin Clark and Senator Femi Okurounmu, co-chair/leader South West, who represented Bishop Bolanre Gbonigi.
The elders described Kanu as “a prisoner of conscience” hence he should regain his freedom along with other prisoners of conscience being held by the federal authorities.
President Buhari should respect the rule of law, pronouncement and ruling of courts of competent jurisdiction by ensuring the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu and all other prisoners of conscience which various courts have granted bail and who have subsequently met their bail conditions,” the SNPA elders said.
According to them, the continued incarceration of Kanu and other Nigerian prisoners of conscience “show a gross disregard to due process, disrespect for the judiciary and abuse of their fundamental rights.
“The principle of separation of power must be applied to the advance our democracy and strict adherence to acceptable dignified tenets of investigation, arrest and prosecution be applied,” the southern leaders said.
The elders and leaders from the South-east, South-south and South-west deliberated on wide range of issues affecting the southern half of Nigeria and the country in general vehemently condemned the murderous activities of herdsmen and the kid glove with which the
To this end they called on the southern governors and state assemblies to follow the model of Ekiti State government in tackling the problem of herdsmen without rancor by enacting legislation on the prohibition of nomadic grazing.
The southern leaders equally urged both the national Assembly and the state assemblies legislate on the prohibition of nomadic grazing by herdsmen and the establishment of razing reserves and ranches with public funds.
They noted that the draft ill-conceived grazing bill which seeks to establish grazing reserves across the states of Nigeria “is not only anachronistic and antiquated, but also an unfortunate imposition of what ought to be private commercial business ventures into a national or government issues.”
On the indifference of Mr. President to the report of the National Conference, the Southern elders and leaders expressed deep concern, saying that Buhari’s attitude “is
