Since the extradition of Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria sleep has eluded Ndigbo and many people have been killed as Igbo land bleeds. Many Igbo houses have been destroyed or deserted for safety. They are now fugitives and refugees in their ancestral land as they wander, and anyone who dares cry and complains publicly runs into trouble. They are under siege and fear of unknown gunmen. Their lives are now endangered.

The history of Ndigbo is one known to be full of bravery, industriousness, equity, justice and fairness, with a very high moral standard. Ndigbo are hospitable, value human beings and see life as sacrosanct. Their justice system was unbiased, very efficient and effective until the White man came and did not only make it look inferior but equally destroyed everything about their religion, culture and ways of life. The philosophy of their life is anchored on the principle of justice, equal rights and opportunities for all. Consequently, these wanton killings in Igbo land currently are alien to Ndigbo, and it is absurd and embarrassing. Are Igbos the perpetrators of these dastardly murders or has an enemy infiltrated Igboland?

Events that happened around Ndigbo since existence showed people that loved themselves and that were united. But ugly incidents that have been consistent since the White man came and sowed his evil seed of disunity, exploitation and imperialism degenerated the situation of things from bad to worse. Family core values have been lost in most homes. After the Civil War, things seem to have fallen apart in the lives of Ndigbo and the centre of the Igbo spirit does not hold anymore.

According to historians, slaves from West Africa that were shipped to America before 1803 were around 1.7 million, and an estimated 1.3 million of them were Ndigbo. 75 of these Igbo slaves were said to have been in a ship en route to a local slave market where they were to be auctioned like tomatoes and animals to interested slave buyers, but in unity and one accord, they overpowered the crew and sank the ship – preferring to die rather than live as slaves.

Abused, brutalised and in pain, even at the point of death these 75 Igbos were still formidably united to resist oppression and did not betray each other. They preferred to die together than accept the way those who were not civilised but falsely claimed to know civilisation had treated them. “Onuru ube nwanne agbalaoso” (when one hears the cry of a brother or a sister/or a relative one should not run away). That is indeed the spirit of Ndigbo. Their bonds are like the connection between eyes and nose – they are too strong. When the eye starts crying the nose joins. And that was why Ndigbo survived the 20-pound policy after the war.

The Igbo culture of “Onye aghala nwanne ya” (no one leaves a brother/sister or a relative behind) is unbreakable. What happened to this Igbo bond? Is blood no longer thicker than water? Why are there too many killings currently going on in Igboland? The lives of innocent Ndigbo grossly abused, brutalised and shortly terminated in Igboland are avoidable tragedies that should not be continued. The situation is pathetic and those who are alive are in perpetual fear. Is there a war in ala-Igbo? Why are Ndigbo leaders silent?

More than 5,000 people have been reportedly killed in just one local government, precisely in Orsu, Imo State, in the last four years. The US government will be ready to spend billions and go to war – like it is now between Israel and Gaza – just to save the life of one citizen. Please, Governor Hope Uzodimma, Orsu bleeds. Other parts of the state you govern are equally not spared from similar tragedies and agonies. Owerri, the capital city, has another alleged sad story of security forces stopping youths on the streets, searching their phones and forcing them to make transfers of money under duress. Owerri used to be a place people from other parts of Igboland and beyond came to for weekends’ relaxation, but not anymore. What is going on, sir?

Igbo governors, senators, Reps members, politicians, traditional rulers and religious leaders, the gods are angry. Because Igbos are being chased outside Igboland, they do not find comfort in Igboland as enemies have laid ambush, ready to massacre them in their places of worship and their sleeping homes. What are you people doing as leaders? Forget whatever any sycophant around you tells you, ala-Igbo is on fire, and we are the losers.

Please, do not enter any unholy alliance in the name of searching for peace for that thing which you may look for in Sokoto is in Aba. The freedom of Nnamdi Kanu holds the key to a sustainable peace we yearn for. His continuous incarceration has destroyed ala Igbo, and every minute he still stays in prison destroys businesses, shrinks and drains the Igbo economy further. For the sake of tranquillity in the east, if we are not playing to the gallery because of 2027, and not deliberately wanting to destroy Igboland, Nnamdi Kanu should be released, and all Igbo leaders must do something collectively to ensure that it happens and merely lip services. A square peg should be put in a square hole. Without his freedom, the elusive chase for peace will continue to be a hopeless mission and a mirage as anarchy looms.

Because every action attracts reaction, therefore, Prof. Charles Soludo’s recent launch of “Operation Udo Ga-Achi” security in Anambra is part of his response to the criminality and killings going on in Igboland, and it is a very welcomed development that is commendable. However, that is not a permanent solution to the insecurity problem in Anambra and beyond. The release of Kanu is. Kanu’s incarceration is the genesis of the current proliferation of arms in the wrong hands, the unrest and the killings. But what happened to the established Eastern States Security called “Ebube Agu”? Ndigbo would like to know.

As we commend the initiative of Prof. Soludo’s “Operation Udo Ga-Achi”, it is imperative that we advise him to trend with caution and restrain his agents from arresting innocent people and parading them half naked in handcuffs as we have seen. It is overzealousness and it is uncivilised. Every suspect should be properly investigated and be treated with dignity. Allegations of jungle justice so far should be investigated and justice served. Again, some of Prof. Soludo’s taskforce agents in Onitsha operate like ruffians, and we cannot continue to celebrate mediocrity and brutality as a way of governance in Igbo land.

In Ebonyi, the state of Governor Francis Nwifuru, terrorists under the guise of herders have taken over his territory in the fear of kidnappers’ grip and scare visitors from the state.

It is the same thing in Abia and Enugu State. Every part of Igboland bleeds and this can no longer be tolerated.

For the restoration of peace and to stop the bloodshed, we must appeal to President Tinubu for the release of Nnamdi Kanu. We must make him understand that enemies have capitalised on the loophole of his incarceration to destroy ala-Igbo and made it very difficult to differentiate genuine freedom agitators from criminals. We must not fail in this mission.

Please eastern governors and the national lawmakers of Igbo extraction, Igboland has suffered enough tragedy and Nnamdi Kanu must not die in prison.

PUNCH