IJAW Youth Council, IYC, has angrily criticise the recent
ban of Indigenous People of Biafra, by the South-East governors, saying it's
unthinkable.
In a statement
released by the Council, they declared the ban as “unconstitutional as it is
targeted to silence right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association” when
“herdsmen that have massacred thousands of unarmed Nigerians across the country
have not been declared terrorists.”
The statement further said: “The government should also
jettison its plan to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu. The only solution is to engage him
in dialogue.”
The statement by Mr. Roland Pereotubo, President of the
Youth body, angrily said the governors' action to ban IPOB was “more of
cowardice as it cannot stop the agitation in the region.
“Their (South-East governors) rash and brazen action is even
at variance with international treaties empowering indigenous people to pursue
self-determination through non-violence.
“IPOB members are only fighting for their rights through
non-violence means. They felt marginalised, segregated and dejected. Oppression
and injustice are the reasons why they are fighting for their freedom.
“The non-violence approach they took is within the ambit of
international treaties, especially the United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, which have
empowered indigenous people in any of the member countries, who feel oppressed,
to seek for freedom. These treaties are being codified in our domestic laws.
“The solution to IPOB, MASSOB and BIM’s separatists struggle
in the South-East as well as the militants’ agitations in the Niger Delta region
is through dialogue as no amount of proscription of these armless associations
will cow the people into submitting their agitations to the oppressors.”
IYC voiced out to the South-East governors to stand up to
their responsibilities and meet with the President to address issues of
marginalization and one-sided appointments in the Southeast.
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