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| Organise a Biafran Referendum. Biafrans on a LEGITIMATE cause - Senator Sani Yerima |
Amidst a increasing protests by Biafran demanding self-determination from Nigeria and the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and subsequent crackdown on Biafrans by the Gen Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government, a former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmad Sani Yerima, has said that the Biafrans were on a legitimate struggle for self determination.
The former governor, now a Senator, told newsmen that consequently, the Nigerian government and the security agencies must allow them to exercise their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the constitution.
Yerima, a politician known for his radical views on national issues, cautioned Buhari and the Nigerian Armed Forces against the use of force on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Survival of the Sovereign State of Biafra ( MASSOB), saying the groups were on a legitimate struggle for self-determination and should be allowed to exercise their fundamental rights.
He disagreed with Buhari and the top echelon of the Nigerian Armed Forces on the handling of the renewed agitation by the groups to restore the Republic of Biafra saying they should be more matured and accommodating in a democracy.
Yerima, who was speaking in Abuja said it was wrong for people to classify the agitators who have been campaigning for the Republic of Biafra as secessionist because they have legitimate rights under the Nigerian Constitution to express their views on any issue.
He said that rather than treat the agitators as rebels who must be forced to either remain in Nigeria or be crushed, the Federal Government should find out why the agitation has been growing by the day.
In past couple weeks, there have been sustained massive public demonstrations across the five states of the South-East geo-political zone as well as in Delta and Rivers states in the South- South geo-political zone. In the wake of the mass rallies, Gen Buhari had warned the groups that he would not tolerate actions that could lead to the dismemberment of the country.
On the strength of that pronouncement, the Nigeria Armed Forces has also threatened to fully deploy against the peaceful protesters. Just in the early hours of the night, Nigerian soldiers were caught shooting at the Biafran protesters who were at the Onitsha Head Bridge in a three day "Occupy Onitsha protesters. The soldiers opened fire at the protesters at about 1am and gunshots could be heard as the report of the killing was being aired live on Radio Biafra.
But Yarima argued that though he believed in the unity of Nigeria, the agitators should be allowed to express their views freely.
According to him, there should be no compulsion in a democracy and the Indigenous People of Biafra must not be compelled to belong to Nigeria. He said that rather than use force to subdue the agitators, the Nigerian government could hold a referendum in the region to ascertain if it is the wish of the majority of the people to pull out of Nigeria and form a new country.
“These are people that want self-determination. They believe that they are homogeneous in terms of tribe, language and culture and they want to live together and have their own community.
“In the end, you see, this is politics. I don’t believe in using force to make them succumb, submit or follow Nigeria and to stay in Nigeria”, he stressed.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria Army relying on the military Rule of Engagement for internal security operations, recently warned the pro- Biafra agitators to desist from holding rallies in different towns and cities as the military had powers under the constitution to suppress any act insurrection or civil disobedience.
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