Ohanaeze Indigbo socio-cultural group has blasted a Northern group coalition for placing a N100m bounty on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The Street Journal had earlier reported that a coalition of 75 Northern groups under the aegis of Northern Consensus Movement (NMC) placed the multi-million naira bounty for anyone who can provide credible information on Kanu’s whereabout.
NCM said they wanted Kanu to return to Nigeria and continue facing trial for treason, adding that the IPOB leader and the security wing of the group, Eastern Security Network were responsible for the attacks on Northerners in the east, as well as security formations.
The spokesperson for NCM, Dr Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, during the press briefing, urged the United States, United Kingdom and European Union to facilitate Kanu’s repatriation to Nigeria to face treasonable charges against him.
Reacting to the development, the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Alex Ogboannaya, said it was good the Northern group were thinking about Nigeria but it would have been better if the bounty placed on Kanu was channeled to finding leaders of Boko Haram and Fulani militias in the North and bringing them to book.
“I congratulate the Northern Coalition Movement for thinking about Nigeria, but if they want to be fair, they should place N100m bounty on the heads of leaders of Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, ISWAP, and other non-state actors, who are known to be terrorists. As you know, Ohanaeze does not agree that the Indigenous People of Biafra is a terrorist group.
“Nnamdi Kanu is not the issue here. There is a major issue of selective justice when you focus on one and leave another.
“Igbos all over have been complaining of injustice. No matter the millions of dollars placed on Nnamdi Kanu, it cannot stop agitation from the South-East,” Ogbonnaya said in an interview with PUNCH.
He further accused Buhari of being responsible for the agitation, saying that when all the appointments are being manned by one section, then, that is not showing federal character.
“What the region needs are justice and peaceful dialogue with the Federal Government. If this is done, all these issues of agitations and secession coming from the region will cease.
“Our advice to the NCM is to direct their agitations to the appropriate authorities,” he added.