Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has faulted the conviction and life imprisonment handed to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, The Guardian reports.
Bianca, a former Ambassador to Spain, described the judgment as a painful blow to the South-East.
Recall that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja found Kanu guilty on Thursday of all seven terrorism-related charges brought against him by the Nigerian federal government, sentencing him to life imprisonment.
However, in a statement released on Friday, Bianca expressed disappointment over the judgment, stating it was “not the outcome Ndigbo anticipated nor prayed for.”
Calling for calm, the former envoy cautioned that any inflammatory reactions could heighten tensions both within Nigeria and among its diaspora.
“There comes a time in the history of a people when calm is needed. That period is now,” she said.
She further urged that all actions likely to provoke unrest or intensify the situation should be avoided, adding, “A word is enough for the wise.”
Bianca appealed to residents of the South-East and Nigerians at large to refrain from responding with anger or violence.
Bianca, the widow of the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, maintained that only a united front among Igbo leaders could open the door to a political resolution.
She advocated for a comprehensive dialogue involving South-East governors, lawmakers, traditional leaders, clergy, political figures, and business stakeholders to engage with the Federal Government in addressing the crisis.
“Beating the drums of fury will only lead to diminishing returns and, in the worst case, more wastelands,” she warned.
“The most effective path toward resolving this crisis is dialogue.”
Bianca stressed that peaceful coexistence in Nigeria is only possible when the Igbo people are treated with fairness and dignity.
She said she remained optimistic that the impasse could still be resolved in a manner that reduces national tension. View, More,
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