Select representatives of the youth and women wings of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide have paid a solidarity visit to Mrs. Onyekachi Orji, one of those incarcerated for over 15 years, and which injustice is mostly responsible for the violent agitation by a pro-Biafra group, the Biafran National Guard.
The visit is in line with the mandate given to the Anambra Election Security Monitoring Committee which was set up by the Acting Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Onwuasoanya FCC Jones last week in Awka.
It is also part of the ongoing engagements and consultations with major stakeholders including agitators, towards ensuring a successful and peaceful governorship election in Anambra State on November 6th.
The Chairman of the Election Security Monitoring Committee, who is also the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, with his team, thought it necessary to incorporate the Women Wing in the visit to the prisons to see their fellow woman and a mother, Mrs. Onyekachi Orji.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing led by Chief Mrs. Rita Daniels promptly responded to this appeal and mobilized some of her NEC members to ensure that the visit happened at the shortest possible notice.
Expectedly, Mrs. Onyekachi Orji and other detainees were very happy with the solidarity shown to them by the Ohanaeze wings and further expressed their heartfelt desire for unconditional freedom from detention.
The representatives assured them of their unwavering commitment towards ensuring that they are not only freed from detention, but also compensated for their apparently unjust imprisonment.
Speaking after the visitation to the prisons, Mazi Okpalaezeukwu called on the FG to expedite action towards; “freeing these our brothers and sisters, whose only crime seems to be their Igboness.”
He regretted that such young people have had their lives and dreams upended by this unjust imprisonment.
Reacting to the development, the Acting Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, FCC Jones thanked the Election Security Monitoring Committee for their sacrifices and passion for peace in Ala Igbo.
He urged the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders to accede to good logic and free the detainees.
According to him, “it is abundantly clear that nothing fuels crisis and violence in any society more than injustice.
“These our brothers and sisters are among thousands of Igbo youths who have been unjustly detained over many years, some, without trial, others with inexplicably slow trial.
“Why would someone be happy that his or her relative is in prison for over 15 years without any court verdict condemning him or her?
“We have and will continue to do our best to facilitate peace in Ala Igbo, but governments across all levels must show the needed seriousness in supporting this process by doing their bit.
“One of such is to open the prison gates and release all our brothers and sisters, who are unjustly detained across Nigeria.”
