Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has urged the Federal Government to allow the South-East region of the country to be autonomous and create an additional state in the geopolitical zone.

According to the parent Igbo body, this would go a long way at dousing the tension caused by current Biafra agitations in the region and give room for genuine dialogue.

The Chidi Ibeh-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo stated this in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Okechukwu Isiguzuro on Monday.

The statement read, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has advised the Federal Government to political solutions for the Biafra agitation in the South-East and to provide platforms for genuine dialogue, initiate the process to interface with neutral Igbo leaders by strictly prohibiting Igbo politicians from the dialogue because they are part of the problems in the South-East.

“We are aware of the international pressures on the Federal Government presently. The Federal Government should not miss the opportunity to seek genuine dialogue with neutral Igbo patriots and elder statesmen, who will genuinely communicate the plights of Igbo without the usual manipulative infusions of South-East politicians.

“The international pressures on the Federal Government in respect to the extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu.

“After the Kenyan Government confirmed that there were no official extradition proceedings of Kanu before he was sent to Nigeria, international pressures on Nigeria have opened up extraordinary circumstances that must be explored by both the Federal Government and non-political Igbo leaders.

“The first step expected by the Federal Government is to set in motion a mechanism, for peaceful dialogue with Igbo religious leaders, Igbo traditional rulers and select few elderstatesmen like Pa Mbazulike Amaechi; Elder K.U.K Kalu; and others, as it’s obvious that the Government can’t shy away from peace talks with the Igbos before the next court appearance of Nnamdi Kanu, on January 19, 2022 with the exclusion of Igbo governors; Igbo National Assembly members; Igbo Federal Executive Council members; Igbo APC and PDP members in attendance.”

According to the group, although the release of leaders of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu and the Yoruba Nation, Sunday Igboho, was important, there was a need to deal with the root causes of agitations in the Southern part of the country, by the Government.

“The Federal Government should expedite actions that will lead to additional state creation for the South-East and granting of full autonomy to federating units of all the regions in the country.

“These are the two best options as political solutions for addressing the activities of Biafra groups and their arrowheads.

“The releases of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, from incarceration without addressing the causes of the agitations in Southern Nigeria, will worsen the situation at hand. It will escalate the activities of the agitations. Therefore, the only options for the Federal Government now, are to create an additional state for the South-East and regional autonomy for the Southeastern region through the National Assembly,” the group added.