From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Anglican Bishop of Egbu Diocese, Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Okorafor, has accused the Federal Government of being responsible for the sit-at-home in the South East which has almost ruined the economy of the region by its refusal to release leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB) from detention in spite of several court Judgments.
He claimed the agitation by IPOB for a Biafra state is traceable to the humiliation, dehumanisation, oppression and suppression citizens of the South East had continued to suffer in the Nigerian federation since the end of the civil war 53 years ago.
The cleric who alleged that Nigeria has no regard for the rule of law, arguing that you cannot beat a child and also stop him from crying.
Bishop Okorafor noted that the entire South East has been thrown into a sit – at- home order for years with some running into several days and that of Monday has now become permanent.
The cleric in his presidential address/charge at the first session of the 10th Synod at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Obibiezena in Owerri North council area, added: “It may be worthwhile to accuse the Federal Government of indirectly masterminding the sit-at-home in order to ruin the economy of the South East. If not, why not release Nnamdi Kanu and watch events for a while.
“When Bola Tinubu assumed office as president, people in their numbers beckoned on him to make it a welcome gift by releasing Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally.
“The same request was made to the tyrant Buhari to do it as parting gift while bowing out. It fell on deaf ears to no surprise to anyone. The military junta and the idle civilian body language seem to be on the same page.
“The sit- at-home order is eating up the economy of South Easterners in an unprecedented manner. How can we explain this that as at today many businessmen in Onitsha are relocating to Asaba while those in Aba are relocating to Uyo and Port Harcourt in a bid to flourish in their businesses and not watch them collapse?”
He appealed to IPOB members to sheathe their swords in the interim, saying Nnamdi Kanu would not die in detention.