President and founder of Vision Africa International, Bishop (Dr) Sunday Onuoha has said that detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu had never advocated for war in the country.
Onuoha stated this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at Vision Africa Radio station in Umuahia, Abia State capital, where he stressed that Kanu’s agitation for Biafra is in protest against injustice and marginalisation of Ndigbo.
“He has never called for harm or war. The justice he seeks remains evident in the challenges we face today, particularly in the hunger and inequality afflicting the nation,” he said.
The co-chair of the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, who explained that he had met with Kanu many times while being detained by the Department of State Security (DSS), called for a general rethink.
He said during the visits, he always noticed that Kanu had remained calm, resolute, showing great commitment and willingness to work with all towards finding solutions to the problems of the South-East.
“In our conversations, he will be in high spirit and express optimism about resolving issues peacefully and consistently refrained from advocating violence or war, focusing instead on justice and equity.”
“Let us appeal to the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government to grant political solution to a man who loves his people and has promised to ensure that there is peace in the region if released.”
He, therefore, called for dialogue between leaders of the zone and the federal government to find a political solution to end Kanu’s continued detention and the problems it had created.
‘If the government truly wishes to operate democratically, we must all advocate for political solutions. Legal battles merely prolong the issue without addressing the root causes.”
The Methodist Church of Nigeria bishop expressed concern over the hard economic situation in the country and the recent stampede in Abuja, Oyo and Anambra States during distribution of food palliatives.
Onuoha called on leaders at all levels of government in the country to stem the hardship “before the poor speak in a voice that will not be favourable to the powers that be.”