Youths solidarise for peace, justice, tackle IPOB leadership

Southern and northern youths have pledged to work for peace, unity and justice in Nigeria.

They made the pledge in Lagos yesterday at the end of a five-day training programme organised by the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) in collaboration with Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America for members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Arewa Youths Congress (AYC), O’dua Peoples Congress (OPC) and ex-Niger Delta agitators.

The IPOB and Arewa groups said non-violent agitations were lawful means of seeking redress against perceived injustice.

Speaking at the event, the president of Arewa Transformational and Empowerment Initiative, Mohammed Danjuma, expressed willingness to work with the youths from the eastern part of the country for development.

He said Nigerians, especially the younger generations, must close ranks and come together for the good of the country.

Danjuma, who observed that Nigerians are so engulfed in self-preservation and seeking justice on all fronts while fighting each other said the training has brought home the lesson that injustice anywhere was a threat to justice everywhere.

He said the people’s common enemies are poverty, insecurity, joblessness and other social issues, which do not discriminate between the Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba man.

Responding, the younger brother to the IPOB founder and leader of the delegation, Emmanuel Kanu, said the move symbolised peace, a new and better understanding between the two tribes.

Commending their northern counterpart for their declaration of support, Kanu said the move was the right step in the right direction.

He urged IPOB members both at home and abroad to keep to the principle of non-violence in the agitation for their objectives.
Chairman of FEHN, Allen Onyema, who lauded the peace accord between the two parties, said the country would surely change for the better.

“I think conflict in itself is not too bad. It can be a catalyst for positive change and we see that the tension that has been generated in the country today is try to lead us to a new Nigeria which all of us can be proud of without shedding blood or having any issue,” he said.

A participant, Kayode Ariwayo said the training brought home the relevance of love in the country.

Meanwhile, following the recent face-off between IPOB members and the military in Abia State, the South East Renewal Group (SERG) has blamed Nnamdi Kanu as the root cause of the tension in the region.

Reacting to the incident, SERG called on Igbo leaders of thought not to tarry further in doing the needful to arrest the impending war.

Also, the Igbo Ekunie Initiative (IEI) has called on Nigerians to stand and speak against tyranny, injustice and oppression happening in the Southeast by the military.

In a statement by its President, Tochukwu Ezeoke, the group stated that the launch of Operation Python Dance, the invasion of Nnamdi Kanu’s home and the parade of military vehicles in civilian areas are cowardly, barbaric, unconstitutional and needlessly provocative.

“Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and all actions of the military must be guided by enabling constitutional provisions,” it said.