The former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Nwazuruike, on Monday met in Kaduna to broker peace over the quit notice issued the Igbos to leave the northern region.
The meeting which was organised at the instance of Major Al-Mustapha was to intervene in the impasse that followed the recent call by northern youth organisations on Igbos resident in the north to leave the region.
Claiming that the northern youths may have been sponsored by countries that are keen to destabilise Nigeria, Major Al-Mustapha called on them to avoid being used to cause a crisis in the country.
He said, “We are appealing that our younger ones who have been declared wanted should be set free, and the order of arrest should be rescinded because it is not the solution.
Speaking also, MASSOB leader said politicians were behind the problems in the country and that they were manipulating Nigerians.
“The youth must not allow that; the country must continue to exist as one nation but issues of marginalisation can be discussed,” he said.
Nwazurike explained that when he founded MASSOB in 1999, it was purely meant to be a peaceful platform through which issues of perceived marginalisation of the Igbo’s in Nigeria could be discussed and tackled.
He explained that even though it was right for any part of the country to seek self-determination, it was wrong to pursue same through violent means.
“I handed over Radio Biafra which I created to Nnamdi Kanu in London as the Managing Director and was hoping it would serve the purpose for which it was created, but was disappointed that politicians hijacked it and it became something else,” he said.
Speaking further, the MASSOB leader assured northerners in the eastern part of the country of their safety, while thanking Major Al-Mustapha for assuring Igbos in the north of their safety.
“I want to assure northerners that your people in the South East are safe and nobody will harass them and I am happy that my friend Al-Mustapha has also given same assurance of the safety of our people in the north.
“Self-determination without violence is a fundamental right; we must strive against sowing the seeds of discord but do all that will promote peace and justice.
“There is a gap of communication from our leaders which needs to be bridged, hence we are meeting with notable leaders in the north to persuade them that there is no cause for alarm.”
