Southeast Group Prioritizes Protest for Nnamdi Kanu's Release Over #EndBadGovernance Movement

 

The South East Renewed Hope Ambassadors (SERHA), a pro-Biafra group, has distanced itself from the planned #EndBadGovernance# nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, 2024. The group asserts that the people of the Southeast have nothing to gain from this protest and should instead focus on demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Key Reasons for Disassociation

In a statement signed by key representatives, including President Arinzechukwu Awogu (Anambra), Vice President Ugochukwu Ugwu (Enugu), Secretary General Nwogba Morgan (Ebonyi), and Youth President Joseph Odumuko (Abia), as well as Mrs. Lovett Emere (Imo), SERHA emphasized that the continuous detention of Kanu is the only legitimate cause for protest.

Call for Regional Focus

SERHA urged the Southeast populace to avoid participating in any protests that could escalate security issues in the region and lead to broader national unrest. They highlighted the historical context, recalling the adverse impacts of past crises, particularly those originating from the Western Region, which culminated in the Nigerian Civil War.

Historical Context and Warnings

The group reminded the Southeast people of the devastating consequences of the Civil War (1967-1970), which left the Igbo community in ruins—a state they are still recovering from. They warned against being swayed into actions that might provoke similar crises, citing the historical neglect and marginalization that followed past upheavals.

Statement Highlights

"Recall that during the same agitation in the West, which led to the January 15, 1966 coup and the pogroms, eventually resulted in the brutal Nigerian Civil War. This war particularly left a legacy of destruction against Ndigbo, with a death toll of over 3,000,000 people of Igbo origin. The aftermath included marginalization, economic setbacks, and criminal neglect towards the people of the Eastern Region. In all these events, we suffered alone without the rest of the country joining in protest against the travails of the Southeast," the statement read.

Conclusion

The South East Renewed Hope Ambassadors (SERHA) have made it clear that their priority is the release of Nnamdi Kanu, viewing it as a more critical issue than the nationwide protest against bad governance. They call on the Southeast community to remain cautious and avoid actions that could further destabilize the region and the country.