Ahead of President Muhhamadu Buhari visits Ebonyi State on Thursday another pro-saparatist group of the South East, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has demanded for immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu from detention as well as a president of Igbo extraction, reports The Nation.
However, Kanu is the leader of another separatist group in the region, Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB).
Both groups are seeking for the carving out of an Independent State of Biafra from the region’s five States and some parts of south-south region.
Kanu was arrested last year and charged to court on allegations of terrorism and treasonable felony, allegations he has continued to deny.
The region has witnessed increasing and regular attacks on security agencies and facilities, government facilities and high profile individuals following Mr Kanu’s arrest last year.
Comrade Uchenna Madu, Leader of MASSOB enumerated the group’s demand for Kanu’s release in a statement on Wednesday.
While noting that MASSOB is not against the President’s visit to the region, the MASSOB Leader said the release of Mr Kanu will douse tension in the region.
“As President Muhammadu Buhari visit Ebonyi state, MASSOB remind Mr president that only the release of IPOB leader will douse tension in the zone as well as restoring peaceful atmosphere to the entire country.
“MASSOB also remind President Muhammadu Buhari that continuous detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody will only worsen the security challenges facing the country, it will also continue to affect the economy”.
Madu also said a president of Igbo extraction to succeed the president will help to diffuse already bottled anger which is fuelling the agitations across the region.
“MASSOB will not be against the visit of President Buhari to Ebonyi state. We are making these two major demands as part of our own contribution to peace as being clamoured by well meaning citizens”
“MASSOB requests from President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate and ensure that one of the many southeast presidential aspirants succeeds him in 2023 to help the country diffuse many bottled anger which has fuelled agitations”., Mr Madu said.
Buhari will commission numerous projects executed by Governor David Umahi administration.
