By Moses Okorie
A socio-ethnic group, Concerned Citizens of Igbo Nation in Diaspora (CCIND) has called for the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying is continues incarceration has caused untold insecurity in the southeastern Nigeria.
In a statement issued by Emeka Livingstone, spokesperson of the group on Monday from Maryland, on the subject ‘insecurity in the southeast of Nigeria: An open letter to Ndigbo’ they said arrest of Kanu in Kenya and his detention in Nigeria are the reason for the unrest the region.
According to CCIND, “The recent spikes in recurrent attacks in the whole of the southeast are one too many that have led to loss of many lives and properties of innocent Igbo citizens in Alaigbo since the extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya where he was kidnapped and forcefully brought to Nigeria by the Nigerian government and her security agencies in June 2021”.
They said, in recent weeks, certain adverse events that have surged in Igboland – from Ebonyi, Enugu, and Anambra to Imo and Abia states, call for serious concern from all well-meaning sons and daughters of Ndigbo.
“In the month of June 2025 alone, terrorists deceptively labeled as herdsmen and bandits struck yet again in a vicious attack in Agwa and several other communities in Oguta local government area of Imo State, leaving many dead and critically injured – including a pregnant woman.
“The innocent victims were in their homes and farms when these heavily armed herdsmen terrorists invaded their communities in the evening of the first day of June 2025, killed a United States-based returnee, abducted his wife in Umuguma, Owerri West local government area, Imo State.
“In Enugu state, two different herdsmen terrorist attacks occurred within a space of one week. The latest occurred on June 9, 2025, when these terrorists invaded Eha-Amufu, a frequent target, in Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu state, killing several people in Mgbuji autonomous community.
“Following this was on June 12, 2025, in Umuahia-Akara Road, Abia State, when these terrorists kidnapped all eight passengers and the driver in a Toyota Sienna vehicle and disappeared into the forest. It is very worrisome these terrorists always get away with their heinous crimes in Igboland.
“Recall that some time in June, 2022, the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Samuel Kanu- Uche, recounted on Arise News national TV, his experiences in the hands of hoodlums who kidnapped him near a security checkpoint for several days in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, South-east of Nigeria and later released after 100-million-naira ransom was paid”, the statement read.
The group called on Ndi Igbo to organize the association of hunters in their various communities in Igbo land to counter the operatives of terror in the bushes and end this carnage, once and for all.
“It is worthy to note that on two separate forums in Nigeria, a former Army chief Lieutenant General (rtd) Theophilus Danjuma, and the current serving Director-General of Department of State Service (DSS), Mr Adeola Ajayi, both acknowledged that government alone cannot address insecurity problems in the country and they called on Nigerians to take proactive steps in protecting themselves in the face of rising insecurity”, the statement added.