Insecurity: Nnamdi Kanu’s Release Will Restore Peace in South-East – Bianca Ojukwu Urges FG

Former Nigerian ambassador to Spain, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has renewed her call for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a solution to the insecurity plaguing the South-East region.

Mrs. Ojukwu, wife of the late Biafran leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the appeal during the annual convention of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) in the United States.

AVID is an organization comprising American citizens of Igbo heritage who are serving or have served honorably in the U.S. military.

While lamenting the rising insecurity in the South-East, Mrs. Ojukwu urged the region’s five governors to intensify collaborative efforts to restore peace, warning, “The state of insecurity in Igboland poses an existential threat to life as we know it in our communities.”

She highlighted the adverse impact of the situation, stating, “The incessant killings, kidnappings, and the increasing annexation of community farmlands by armed herdsmen and other invaders have devastated agro-economic prospects and disrupted social activities in many Igbo communities.”

According to Mrs. Ojukwu, criminal elements in the region are exploiting the separatist movement to commit crimes, degrading the security forces’ ability to respond effectively.

She lamented that fear has driven many residents from their villages, leaving once-thriving communities depleted and resembling ghost towns.

She appealed to the South-East governors, who serve as the chief security officers of their respective states, to strengthen efforts to address the situation.

Bianca stressed that the release of Nnamdi Kanu would significantly improve security in the region.

Addressing the Igbo diaspora, Mrs. Ojukwu urged them to uphold their cultural values and identity while contributing to efforts to address security challenges at home. She noted that insecurity was not limited to the South-East but had spread across Nigeria.

Also speaking at the event, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia North, traced the region’s insecurity crisis to 2021 following Kanu’s arrest and continued detention.

He questioned why the South-East, despite having the highest number of police and military checkpoints per kilometer, remains vulnerable to attacks by unknown gunmen and other criminals.

“The real reduction in insecurity will come only when the government and security agencies genuinely commit to addressing it,” Abaribe emphasized.

The theme of the conference, “Stand Up for Your People,” focused on the challenges facing the South-East, particularly the worsening security crisis.

Other notable speakers included former Imo State lawmaker Uche Onyeagocha, business mogul Chief Dr. Kingson Njoku, Haitian Senator Jean Charles Moïse, and industrialist John Gregg.

A panel discussion on the economic prospects of the Eastern Region followed the presentations.

The President of AVID, Dr. Sly Onyia, announced that the organization is working towards establishing direct flights from the United States to the South-East.