The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has appealed to the supporters of jailed separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, to renounce violence and embrace peace in the interest of the Southeast and Nigeria at large.

Ohanaeze also expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its sustained efforts in tackling insecurity in the Southeast.

In a statement jointly signed by its factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and National Spokesperson, Chief Thompson Ohia, the group hailed the conviction of Simon Ekpa in Finland, describing it as a milestone in restoring peace to the region.

The statement read: “The Southeast region, along with the entirety of the Igbo race, stands indebted to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle; and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. Their concerted efforts have been instrumental in ending the devastating Monday sit-at-home protests and combating the broader issues of terrorism and insecurity that have plagued our region.”

Six-Year Sentence ‘Decisive Step’

Ohanaeze maintained that the six-year sentence handed to Ekpa in Finland reflected the international community’s recognition of the dangers posed by his activities.

“With the Finnish government’s recent sentencing of Simon Ekpa, our collective stance is unequivocal: the people of the Southeast do not endorse any form of armed struggle or terrorism in the name of Biafra agitation. We stand united against violence and advocate for a nonviolent path toward self-determination,” the statement read.

Naijaonpoint reports that the group urged the Federal Government to engage repentant pro-Biafra agitators who are ready to contribute to peace-building efforts in the region.

“It is vital to emphasize that there exists a segment of repentant, peaceful, and nonviolent pro-Biafra agitators who are willing to assist the Federal Government in eradicating insecurity. This represents a prime opportunity to adopt the ‘Carrots and Sticks’ approach, as famously employed by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua that ended Niger Delta militancy in 2008,” Ohanaeze stated.

The organisation appealed to Ekpa’s supporters to lay down their arms and reintegrate into society, noting that many of them were educated youths and entrepreneurs misled by false promises of a non-existent Biafra Republic.

Rehabilitation, Empowerment for Repentant Agitators

According to the group, Ohanaeze is prepared to advocate for the establishment of rehabilitation and youth empowerment programmes targeted at repentant agitators.

“This serves as a renewed clarion call, a rallying cry for all armed Biafra agitators to surrender their arms, abandon the concealment of violence in the Southeast’s bushes, and seek rehabilitation and reintegration back into society,” the statement added.

Describing Ekpa’s imprisonment as the dawn of a new chapter for the Southeast, Ohanaeze praised the Federal Government and security chiefs for “dismantling the reign of terror” perpetuated through his agitation.

“While we acknowledge that many Igbo political leaders, including governors, may hesitantly voice their approval of Ekpa’s sentence, we know that, in private, they share in the collective appreciation for the Federal Government’s landmark achievements in confronting the challenges of insecurity in the Southeast,” the group said.