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The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has expressed deep concern over the worsening state of violence and insecurity plaguing the southeast region. She described the situation as alarming, emphasizing the urgent need for concerted efforts to address the growing threats to peace and stability.
At the 13th memorial anniversary of her late husband, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, held in Owerri on Tuesday, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu reflected on the troubling state of the southeast. She expressed sorrow that the region’s current realities of insecurity and violence were a significant departure from the dreams and principles her husband had fought to uphold.
The minister, however, voiced optimism in President Bola Tinubu’s ability to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). She emphasized her belief that the president’s leadership could pave the way for a resolution to this contentious issue.
She argued that Kanu’s release would expose criminal elements exploiting his detention to perpetrate crimes in the region.
Delivering her remarks on the theme “Unifying the Igbo Race,” she called for an end to the violence, urging the Igbo people to unite and reclaim their heritage from criminality.
She emphasised that the Igbo are not known for harming their own, appealing for collective efforts to restore peace and security in the region.
“The release of Nnamdi Kanu is paramount to separating genuine freedom fighters from criminals causing mayhem in the Southeast. Our people face existential threats, and we must act to restore peace,” she said.
She lamented that years after the passing of her husband, the southeast has become a region marked by violence and insecurity, forcing many to flee their homes.
Read also: Igbo Day: It Is Time For Ndigbo To Unite – Bianca Ojukwu
“Communities are empty. Our illustrious sons and daughters have fled. Kidnappers now abduct their brothers for ransom. This is not what Dim Ojukwu fought for,” she said.
Bianca Ojukwu underscored the need for President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, asserting that his freedom would help identify those criminals hiding under IPOB to wreak havoc.
“President Tinubu understands the importance of Kanu’s release. It will expose the masqueraders behind the violence and help restore order. I will do whatever it takes to ensure His Excellency grants this request,” she stated.
She condemned the enforcement of violent “sit-at-home” orders in the Southeast, describing them as a contradiction to the principles of self-determination and a significant hindrance to the region’s economic growth.
“Ndigbo are enterprising and their brother’s keepers. We must reclaim our land and continue to propagate the ideals for which Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu stood.”
Ojukwu’s call added to the growing clamour for the release of Nnamdi Kanu as a means to address insecurity and foster unity in the southeast.
