Anglican Church Steps In , Wants Kanu Released , Blames APC Govt.

Anglican Communion, the church of Nigeria , province of the Niger, Anambra State, yesterday, told the Federal Government of Nigeria to act on the Appeal Court judgment and release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to bring peace to the South East.

The Church also urged the All Progressives Congress, APC- led Federal Government of Nigeria to allow equity, fairness, and justice to reign in its administration in the country.

The Church of Nigeria, Province of the Niger’s admonition is contained in the address presented by its Archbishop and Bishop of Awka Diocese, the Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, at the 8th Edition of its yearly Anglican Prayer Rally of Anambra State, held at Alex Ekwueme Square Awka, Anambra State.

The Province of the Niger, comprises nine Anglican Dioceses in the state, namely Diocese on the Niger, with its Bishop as Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo; Diocese of Awka, Most Rev Alex Ibezim; Diocese of Nnewi, Rt Rev. Ndubuisi Obi; Diocese of Aguata, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor; Diocese of Ogbaru, Rt Rev. Prosper Amah; Diocese of Amichi, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor; Diocese of Ihiala, Rt Rev. Israel Okoye; Diocese of Niger West, Rt. Rev Johnson Ekwe and Diocese of Mbamili, Rt Rev. Obiora Uzochukwu.

The Church prayed as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, yesterday, commended the residents of Aba, the commercial city of Abia State for their peaceful conduct during their protest demanding the unconditional release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

IPoB, however, condemned the attempt by hoodlums, unscrupulous elements, and criminals, including political thugs who saw it as an opportunity and tried to cash in on the peaceful protest that destroyed some of the political billboards in Aba.

‘Act on Appeal Court judgment’

According to an address by the Church entitled “Appeal Court Ruling on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” read by Archbishop Ibezim, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was discharged and acquitted by the Appeal Court having struck out terrorism charges filed against him by the government and ordered his release from custody.

“The judgment was passed on Thursday 13th October 2022. Despite the Court judgment, the Nigerian government said it will still keep him in detention. The Church is pleading with the government to act on the Appeal Court judgment and release the man that has been discharged and acquitted. We urge the Nigerian government to allow equity, fairness, and justice to reign in this administration.”

The Anglican Prayer Rally, with the theme, ” Watch and Pray” also decried the rising insecurity in Anambra State and Nigeria in general, urging the people of the state and Nigerians to place consciousness on their environments and safety, keep watch and never give themselves out to vulnerable situations, particularly now that the presidential and national assembly campaigns have started.

“We also urged our youths to be focused on developing themselves and doing the right things at all times and avoid any negative activity that will hinder the peace and security of lives and properties.”

On the 2023 general elections, the Province said: “As published by INEC, the Presidential election has been slated for Saturday, 25 February 2023. We are confident that the majority, if not all of us, are holders of our PVCs and are ready to vote. Remember that this is your chance to make things right in our nation and we must endeavour to go and vote.

“We wish to remind INEC that the people are looking forward to legitimate and well-organized elections. We want our votes to count. We are hoping that God will give us the man that will bring a progressive change in our dear nation, Nigeria.”

Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who attended with his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who incidentally is the younger brother of the Archbishop, requested that Prayer Rally should subsequently involve other Christian denominations in the state.

He disclosed that ‘the so-called unknown gunmen who are now known are using Orsumoghu as their headquarters, and we will keep fighting them until they are dislodged from the state. If we cannot fight them on the ground, we will fight them on air until they are chased out of the state.”

All the Bishops in the nine Anglican Dioceses in the state were either present or represented during the Prayer Rally which was attended by thousands of Anglican faithful in the state.

IPoB commends Aba residents over peaceful protest

A statement by IPoB’s image maker, Emma Powerful, said that it has no political enemies that will warrant it to destroy political billboards of any political party or persons.

IPoB’s statement read: “The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, under the command and leadership of our great leader ,Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, commends IPoB family members in Aba, Abia State, and Aba Province, over the peaceful protest at Aba yesterday, demanding for the unconditional release of our leader from DSS custody as Appeal Court has ordered.

“It came to the knowledge of IPoB leadership that while IPoB family members and other lovers of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu were peacefully marching around the Enyimba City, some hoodlums, unscrupulous elements, and criminals, including political thugs used the opportunity of the peaceful protest to destroy some of the political billboards in Aba, the Enyimba City.

“IPoB has no political interest or enemies that will warrant us destroying the political billboards of any political party or individuals. We, therefore, want everyone to understand that IPoB members were not responsible for the destruction of any political billboards at Aba yesterday.

“It is on records that for over eight years, IPoB has protested everywhere in the world and we have been peaceful, civil, and well organized. Never, has there been any record of violence, destruction, or loss of property. We never elicit unwarranted military assaults from Nigerian security forces.

“We are warning political enemies and oppositions to settle their problems and leave IPoB out of their predicaments and misunderstandings. The only politics IPoB will be interested in is Biafra Referendum and any politics involved in that process.

“We also state categorically that IPoB has no hands in kidnapping a military man from Ohafia Local Government Area. Information at the disposal of IPoB revealed that the military man missed his road and was delayed in joining his colleagues in their vehicle and the Nigerian Army declared him kidnapped by IPoB members.

That is arrant nonsense coming from the people it will always come from. We are not kidnappers or killers. Nobody should blame or link us with such blackmail and criminal activity.

“IPoB members are only after the release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody since Courts of competent jurisdictions have discharged and acquitted him from all charges. We are not interested in Nigeria’s fraudulent elections or selection and whoever becomes their next president.

“We urge IPoB family members to watch out for any political thug who wants to hide under IPoB to attack their political enemies or carry out any destruction of opposition’s properties and billboards. We advise Biafrans to be vigilant and never allow political enemies and infiltrators to spoil the hallowed name of IPoB.”

“IPoB once again categorically declare that we are not responsible for any destruction of political billboards at Aba or responsible for the kidnapping of Nigerian soldier in Ohafia L.GA. We are aware that Nigerian government and its security agents especially the military, police, and DSS agents want to take over Ohafia L.G.A for Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in Abia State and elsewhere in the Biafra Region”

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