Anambra Monarch Makes Case For Nnamdi Kanu’s Release

By Chuks Eke

The traditional ruler of Ogidi Kingdom in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Alex Uzo Onyido has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to unconditionally release the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnadi Kanu to reduce crime rate and insurgency in South East geo-political zone.

Igwe Onyido who blamed the spate of crimes and insurgency in the South East to the incarceration of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu and his continued stay in detention, insisted that the major solution to the problem is to release him without further delay.

The Monarch who disclosed this at his 4th Ofala festival said that the upsurge in crime, particularly kidnapping and cultism was being tackled in Ogidi despite the fact it is a general phenomenon all over the South East states.

“I am appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come to the aid of the South East region and affect the release of Nnamdi Kanu. This singular gesture of Mr. President will no doubt, mitigate and reduce the incidents of insurgency and other criminal activities in the South East”.

“There is no gainsaying that continued detention of Mazi Kanu is disrupting the development of the South region with youth restiveness as the by-product”.

“Let it be known that, until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to ethnic nationality; until there are no more first class and second class citizens of our dear country, and until the ethnic nationality of Nigerian citizens is of no more significance than their national citizenship, until that day the dream of lasting peace, rule of law and national integration will remain an oscillating illusion to be pursued but never attained,” he said.

He said that the community set up a security committee to supervise and control different challenges of security breaches, saying that they were working with security agencies to organize a youth convention where seasoned resource persons were invited to address the youths on the current insurgency and dangers of cultism.

“In spite of great efforts to stem the tide, the issue of cultism, armed robbery, rape among others kept rising. At the peak of the Malady, we reformed, re-equipped, and repositioned our security outfit, the Ogidi Vigilante group to effectively fight the menace.

This involved a lot of funding as security tools and personnel salary are recurrent and must be taken care of, to keep the outfit going. Security maintenance is capital-intensive. This is in the face of limited ways and means at our disposal. We have also tackled the problem spiritually’” Igwe Stated.

Igwe Onyido said that the town union will organize a head count of all Ogidi indigenes at home and abroad where it will establish a database of all Ogidi Kindreds, he said that the exercise will commence in early next year.

He applauded Governor Chukwuma Soludo for renaming the stated International Cargo and Passenger Airport its illustrious literary icon, Prof Chinua Achebe as well as for rehabilitation of the Ugwu Nwasike roundabout and link road to Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

Igwe further thanked Governor Soludo for the appointments of some illustrious sons of the community in his administration, saying that Ogidi Kingdom was indebted to him and will continue to support his government and partner with him in community development.

The traditional ruler used the occasion to honour and awards chieftaincy titles to some prominent men in the state including Dozzy Oil boss, Juhel pharmaceutical company boss among others, and also bestow of High Chief title to 24 illustrious sons of the town including the State Chairman of APGA Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye.

Highlights of the event were the parade of age grades, masquerade display of many types including the king of masquerades Ijele, also individuals and groups paid a royal homage to Igwe Onyido during the Ofala festival including NUJ Anambra State Council led by Dr. Emeka Odogwu.