Remove IPOB from terrorism list – Ohanaeze youths to Buhari

 

Youths of the South-East Zone of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from the list of terrorist organisations in the country.

The youths further said part of the steps towards peace in the region would be the de-proscription of IPOB and the release of any of its members in prison.

The youths made this call after an emergency meeting of South East youth stakeholders held on Friday in Awka, the Anambra state capital.

The group’s communique was read to journalists by Comrade Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth, on behalf of other groups.

These are National Youth Council of Nigeria (south-East), Nigerian Youth Congress(South-East) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The communique regretted the heightened insecurity in the South-East which has resulted in the loss of lives of our people, security agents and properties.

It also consoled with the families of the bereaved.”

The group also called on the South-East Governors to liaise with the relevant stakeholders especially the youth to arrest the current security challenges in the South East.

It condemned in totality the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and called on the perpetrators to desist from such forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances.

“As a step towards genuine peace and reconciliation as championed by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Federal Government and South-East Governors should as a matter of urgency unproscribe IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) as a terrorist organization.

“Furthermore, we call for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction.”

The group called on the South-east governors to encourage community policing by strengthening and digitalizing the local vigilantes.

It also aligned with the resolution of the southern governors and call for necessary legal framework for immediate implementation of the resolution.

“There is a need for a quarterly interface between the Governors of the South-East and the Youth stakeholders so that the issues of the zone will be regularly reviewed.

“We call on the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the #ENDSARS panel report especially on Youth Development, and to review the Laws of their various State Security Council Committee to include critical youth stakeholders, while urging for full implementation, support and fund for community policing committee which was constituted last year,” the communique concluded.