The umbrella body of Ndigbo in the Diaspora, Igbo World Assembly, IWA, has declared that there must be a serious dialogue among all the ethnic nationalities for Nigeria to continue its existence.
The organisation also cautioned the Buhari government against the use of force to stop ethnic nationalities from agitating for secession.
The group made its position known in a communiqué signed by its chairman, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze shortly after a virtual meeting on Thursday.
IWA also said it had reviewed how Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was abducted in a foreign land and detained by the Nigerian government, calling for his unconditional release.
The group urged the government to allow Nigerians to decide if they want to remain as one and focus on addressing massive insecurity, unemployment, hunger, poverty and other challenges.
“We need a serious dialogue among all the ethnic nationalities for Nigeria to continue its existence,” it said.
“His [Nnamdi Kanu] further detention is unacceptable. The current situation whereby Southern Nigerians agitating for a free homeland are killed, arrested and detained, while cattle herdsmen/Miyetti Allah that kill our people and rape our women are protected can no longer be tolerated.
“The abduction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu cannot silence or end the agitation, as the root cause for agitation remains unattended, that is, allowing the Nigerian people to decide their fate or live in freedom,” they added.
The group affirmed its commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress and peaceful co-existence between and among its people through a national dialogue.
DAILY POST
