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Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Leaders in Nigeria’s south east met to discuss calls for secession by pro-Biafrans. At an expanded meeting, the Igbo leaders rejected calls for the formation of the breakaway state of Biafra to be created for their ethnic group in the south-east. Instead the leaders called for a united Nigeria where “peace, love, fairness, justice, equity and equality of opportunity are paramount regardless of creed, ethnicity, gender, or political affiliation”.
In a statement issued at the end of the meeting, the Igbo leaders also backed calls for restructuring of the country on the basis of fairness and equity. The intervention by the Igbo leaders is seen as a bid to defuse tensions that have been steadily escalating between communities in the region.
“Igbo leaders lend their full support to the restructuring of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of fairness and equity. We therefore call on the Federal Government and all Nigerian leaders to commence a process of dialogue among Nigerians on the modalities of achieving this pressing question within a reasonable frame time.”
The leaders further called for the implementation of the 2014 National Conference recommendations. “Ndigbo support the report of the National Conference of 2014 and urge the Federal Government to set up structures that will enable the implementation of same within a reasonable time,” the communiqué read.
While the Igbo leaders shot down the secession, a pro-secessionist group says it will press ahead with its campaign which can only lead to more violence for Nigeria. In the past two years security forces have killed more than 150 people in their attempt to end pro-independence protests. The campaign has also fueled tensions in northern Nigeria, where some youth groups have retaliated by threatening to expel Igbos who live there.
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