[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ife of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mrs Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, has revealed that her husband would be willing to meet with president Muhammadu Buhari if the offer was made.
“Isn’t that why people raise issues? I am raising a concern because I want you to look at it and listen to it,” says Okwu-Kanu, who last saw her husband in August. “If Buhari would ask for a roundtable discussion—that is what he ought to have done a long time ago.”
Okwu-Kanu, is voicing hope for a constructive dialogue but warning that differences will remain.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo, told Newsweek Friday that President Muhammadu Buhari should sit down with Kanu to discuss the IPOB leader’s grievances, same day the federal government designated IPOB, led by Nnamdi Kanu, as a terrorist organization.
Defense spokesman Major General John Enenche said that the group had formed a secret militia, used weapons, and extorted money from civilians at illegal road blocks.
Arising from an emergency meeting on Friday in Enugu, the South East Governors’ Forum announced the proscription of activities of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
Chairman of the forum, Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi requested the group and other of such groups to articulate their grievances and send to the forum.
Umahi appealed to all governors in the zone to ensure compliance with the directive in their various states and for the Federal Government to withdraw the troops in the zone.
Minister of Foreign Affairs,Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, has also described the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) as internal threat that can be handled by federal government.
He said that Nigeria does not require any international help to curb the threat posed by the activities of the secessionist IPOB.
Onyeama told journalists at the UN headquarters in New York that the threat from the self-agitation group would be handled.
According to him, IPOB is different from the Boko Harm terrorists which main aim was to capture territory and to kill innocent people.
“Boko Haram is not an internal threat; it is international threat. When the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), it became international threat.
“IPOB is as of now an internal threat and Nigeria does not need international assistance to resolve it,” Onyeama said.
The foreign affairs minister said the position of President Muhammadu Buhari was that the Constitution of the country should be respected.
Meanwhile, IPOB has faulted its declaration by the Defence Headquarters as a terrorist organisation.
“It is very, very laughable that that is coming from a military intelligence officer,” Prince Kanu, younger brother of the embattled leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, said.
“One, IPOB is a non-violent movement. We do not carry arms. We’ve never asked anyone to kill for us, neither have we killed anyone.
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