Over recent weeks, Igbo youths have been holding demonstrations across the country calling for the release of Mr Kanu who was arrested by security agents. They have also been demanding the recreation of the defunct republic of Biafra and subsequently, wise old heads have been calling for dialogue to resolve the situation.
Several Igbo elders, members of Ohaneze Ndigbo and governors from across the southeast plan to meet with the federal government to ask for certain concessions to assuage local anger. However, Massob, who has been organising the protests in conjunction with the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ibop) said Mr Kanu must be part of any talks.
Already, Massob has suspended all demonstrations as an act of good faith ahead of the talks and former Akwa Ibom State governor Godswill Akpabio has led a delegation accompanied by some northern elites to the federal government to broker a truce. However, Massob's director of communications Edson Samuel, said the only way they would be part of the dialogue is if Mr Kanu is part of it.
Mr Samuel added: “We are shocked that Akpabio, who disowned Massob at the inception of this demonstration, led some northern leaders to broker truce on our behalf. We do not know them, neither can we identify with them because any person moving to dialogue between us and the federal government must first meet with us and know our demands.
“These demonstrations are strictly anchored by Massob and Ipob, and so far Akpabio, working with his cohort, Dozie Ikedife, have shown hatred for Nnamdi Kanu, so we make haste to disown them. Ikedife has his own agenda and belief in the constitution of Nigeria, which we do not believe in as Massob and Biafra do not have faith in Nigerian constitution."
He stressed that ion their opinion, the Nigerian constitution is a complete fraud, which is why Massob are protesting to opt out. According to Mr Samuel, the framers of the constitution never consulted Ndigbo when it was crafted.
Likewise, the Biafra Independent Movement (Bim), has said that it would not be part of any negotiation intended to strengthen Nigeria’s national unity and stability but rather ones that will ensure the actualisation of Biafra. After a recent meeting, Bim's deputy director for information, Mazi Chris Anierobi Mocha, said they do not trust the federal government.
Mazi Mocha added: "Such discussions with our oppressors have a sinister motive behind it. Our position is to achieve a separate country with the name and title the Republic of Biafra, no more no less."
Meanwhile, a coalition of human rights groups in the southeast have cautioned the federal government against allowing Mr Kanu to be murdered in the captivity of the Department of State Service, the way deceased Boko Haram leader Yusuf Mohammed was killed in police custody. Also, residents of Onitsha and its environs had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Nigerian armed forces to dismantle the road blocks in Anambra State, which were mounted after the killing of nine people.
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