Rejected Motion
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Nigerian senate looks for more trouble after it rejected motion to free Igbo separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu
The Nigerian senate brazenly rejected a motion to free the Igbo separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu from state security custody, Wednesday.
A prayer in the motion called for a drop of all charges against him.
The motion brought forward by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) sought the release of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader as a means to address the constant sit-at-home order enforced by unknown gunmen in the South-East.
Senator Osita Izunaso
The motion co-sponsored by other lawmakers from the south-east region the heartland of the Igbo tribe noted that the senators were aware that thousands of innocent lives had been lost since the action started, and properties worth over a trillion had been destroyed resulting in investors leaving the region.
“The sit-at-home civil disobedience actions in the South-East have led to the disruption/destruction of economic activities and immeasurable financial losses for businesses, workers, and the local economy. Because, when people are forced to stay at home and businesses remain closed, productivity declines and income is reduced, affecting livelihoods and economic growth.” Izunaso said.
“The “sit-at-home” protests disrupt the education of students, leading to missed classes and delays in academic progress. And such prolonged disruptions have long-term effects on students’ learning outcomes and educational development; Disturbed that disruption of essential public services, such as healthcare, transportation, and waste disposal, continues to have a severe impact during “sit-at-home” protests which adversely affect the well-being and safety of the general population living in the South-East.”
IPOB had embarked on a civil disobedience strategy in August 2021 declaring a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-East to protest the continued detention of Kanu by the State Security Service (SSS) despite court rulings.
“The ‘Sit-at-home protests continue to lead to acts of violence and clashes with the law enforcement agencies, which have led to uncountable losses of lives of innocent people, security agents and the protesters. As this increases, the potential for criminal elements to take advantage of the situation to engage in looting or other unlawful activities while the people stay at home,” he lamented.
The motion also called on the Nigerian government to liaise with their Finnish counterparts so has to get Simon Ekpa the self styled Prime Minister of Biafra extradited to face charges. The motion accused Ekpa of instigating the current sit at home order after it was reportedly suspended by IPOB.
“If the activities of Simon Ekpa, who is issuing the illegal ‘sit at home’ orders is not checked, he may succeed in corrupting the minds of Nigerian youths and turning them against the government, which is tantamount to treasonable felony.” Izunaso warned.
Speaking with journalists after the plenary, Senator Izunaso insisted that a political approach was the best way to handle the case, adding that the sit-at-home protests and destruction of lives and property by enforcers of the illegal orders in the South-East would stop with the release of Kanu from detention.
Akowe with reports from Abuja
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