Anglican bishop of the Diocese on the Niger, Rt Rev Owen Nwokolo has called for unity among people of Southeast to enable them get anything meaningful from the Federal Government.
Nwokolo gave the advice in a chat with newsmen at the All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, Anambra State following Supreme Court recent ruling absolving leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu of terrorism charges, directing that his trial continued.
He regretted that the Supreme Court verdict was opportunity missed by Federal Government to restore lasting peace to the Southeast region.
He argued that Kanu’s continued detention would only unsettle the nation, adding that his imprisonment would send many Igbos to jail while his release would amount to releasing many Igbos.
He said, “People had expected that the Supreme court would have used the opportunity to seek for ways to calm the strained nerves.
“But since it’s the highest court in the land, there is nothing one can do. The major issue is that people of southeast must learn to work together to make the region safe, united and peaceful.
“United we stand, divided we fall. We can work together to make Igboland united and progressives by showing empathy to the things that are happening.
“We can then, in that unity, speak to the government of the land because the way I see the Kanu issue, it is a political case. And since it is so, it should be handled politically.
”The courts cannot even adjudicate on it without having recourse to the political leaders.
“If you imprison Kanu, you are sending many Igbos to jail and the country will not be at peace. If you release him, you are releasing many Igbos.
“So, I believe continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will only unsettle the land more and Nigeria does not need such things to continue.
“So, we need to come together as Ndigbo, go to the Federal Government and urge them to release this young man and other things can then follow.”
