HURIWA welcomes constructive resolution to S/East crisis, blames Buhari for instigating unrest in region

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has declared its backing for any approach to a constructive resolution of the crises in the South East.

This follows announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, while receiving a delegation of leaders from the South East that his government will consider unconditional release of detained leader of pro-secession group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

HURIWA, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, Friday, however, maintained that the crisis rocking the region is instigated by the actions or inaction of certain forces embedded in the current federal government.

According to the group, any political solution to the crisis is a welcome decision and is in no way an interference with the Judiciary because the President through his Attorney General of the Federation instituted the persecution of Nnamdi Kanu.

“First and foremost, the crisis started when the President refused to accord the Igbo nation the constitutionally mandated and required equity and equality of citizenship of Nigeria by not considering anybody in the South East to head any security under his watch.

“Nobody from the South East is holding any command or leadership positions of a security institution under this current dispensation.

“The over 60 million Igbo citizens of Nigeria were practically pushed out of Nigeria by Mr. President when he did not trust any Igbo person for appointment of or into any strategic dimensions as one of the security chiefs under his government.

“So Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB are just mere manifestation of the deep seated collective angst of the Igbo nation instigated by marginalisation and apartheid policy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s exclusionist policies targeted against Igbos.

“So, it is Mr. President that caused the problem in the first place so he should resolve it by releasing Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and ending the systematic persecution in the High Court of Nnamdi Kanu.

“Nnamdi Kanu’s alleged offences which is broadcasting through his IPOB radio station in a remote part of London is not up to 50% of what Nassir El-Rufai or Sheikh Gumi have done and said against Christians and Southern Nigeria but they are free but Nnamdi Kanu is detained because he is Igbo.

“Nnamdi Kanu has not done or said half of what Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has done or said in the media yet he is a free man moving around with security whereas the other one is still in detention because he is an Igbo man and his life is still threatened.

“Gumi mingles with terrorists but he is free. Nnamdi Kanu set up an agitation organisation called IPOB to campaign peacefully for Self-determination but he is in detention and his life is under severe threats due to the grave conditions under which he is being detained.

“The statement by Mr. President that releasing Nnamdi Kanu will violate or amount to interference with the Judiciary is not correct, that is not the correct position of the law.

“This is because what is going on between Nnamdi Kanu, the government of Muhammadu Buhari and DSS is not prosecution but persecution.

“Mr. President said if he released Nnamdi Kanu it would amount to interference of the Judiciary?

“Which Judiciary? Is it the Judiciary the DSS has taken over or seized the control of who goes in or comes out that the federal government’s executive arm controls the premises and determines who comes in or out that the President is talking about? DSS has already hijacked the federal High court. So the executive arm of government under President Muhammadu Buhari has already hijacked the judiciary.

“Lastly under the constitution the attorney general of the federation who begins an action can terminate it at any time based on public interest. So they should release Nnamdi Kanu immediately because of public interest, equity, justice, fairness and equality of citizenship.

“If Gumi and El-Rufai who admitted paying armed Fulani militia to stop killing Christians and Gumi who defend terrorists are free, why detain Nnamdi Kanu?” HURIWA statement read.