PRESS RELEASE


ICCA/UMUNNA DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEN. ENYINNAYA ABARIBE.

-Let no harm befall our son.
-Enough of your intimidation towards Ndigbo.

Toronto: June 23, 2018

The Igbo Canadian Community Association (ICCA/Umunna) condemns in the strongest of terms the recent arrest of the senator representing Abia South Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, by agents of the Directorate for State Services (DSS)

In a statement issued from Toronto, Canada, the President of the socio-cultural and political group, Chief Ugochukwu Okoro, said the arrest of Senator Abaribe was questionable and very likely a calculated attempt to silence him from exposing illegal insertions, fraudulent and corrupt acts the Presidency may have perpetuated in the 2018 Budget which was passed into law this week.

“We find the arrest of our senator few hours after he exposed an insertion of an illegal addition if N30billion into the budget of the power sector questionable, undemocratic and a criminal attempt to cover up the monumental corrupt acts perpetuated by the Presidency in the 2018 budget appropriations.”

The DSS had on Friday arrested Sen. Abaribe in of Abuja without disclosing the reason for his arrest. They also have sealed his home.

Okoro further stated that “it is not a hidden fact that Sen. Abaribe has constantly been making earth quaking revelations on the magnitude of corruption going on within the Presidency especially on budget padding, so using the DSS to silence him was activated obviously. It is very worrisome that President Buhari who came into power on a message of fighting corruptions will be condoling unwarranted attacks of persons who try as much to expose corrupt practices. This tendency, which has been the modus operandi of the Buhari government, to use state agencies to intimidate persons he feels are being critical of his government makes a charade of the Whistleblowing Policy of the government. The President ought to look deep within his kitchen cabinet, identify and adequately prosecute those within his ranks found culpable.”

“It is also disheartening and immoral that the DSS has not given reasons why Sen. Abaribe was arrested. We raise this concern because we are aware of the order by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja that Sen. Abaribe should produce our son and leader of the (Indigenous People of Biafra), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in court on June 26, 2018 as one of his sureties, why then will the Federal Government arrest him before the court date?” Okoro asked.

The ICCA/Umunna therefore is demanding the immediate release of Sen. Abaribe unconditionally.

“We are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Sen. Abaribe with no harm whatsoever befalling him. We want to use this medium to sound this warning to President Muhammadu Buhari; ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We will not keep tolerating your continuous unwarranted and provocative intimidation of Ndigbo using various security agencies.” Okoro said.

ICCA/Umunna stated that in the coming days they will unveil the plans the association has on demanding from the Federal Government the whereabouts of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“This week we received the report from the International Society for Civil Liberties (Intersociety) on the list of names of Igbo sons and daughters massacred by the Nigerian Army during the infamous Operation Python Dance exercise in 2017 and we will be starting processes to make sure that the FG and all the state governments in the South-East will open up a Panel of Enquiry on the issue. We will be communicating with the governors of the five Igbo states on this and also amplify pressure both within and outside the country on our demand for the Federal Government to produce Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”


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About ICCA/Umunna
The Igbo Canadian Community Association (ICCA/Umunna) is socio-cultural and political organization committed to the rediscovering and reestablishment of the rich Igbo cultural identity, enhancing and strengthening the cords of unity and bonding among Igbo speaking people in Nigeria and the diaspora, advocating and agitating in a peaceful manner in all causes pertaining to Igbo people. Founded in 1970 at the end of the civil war, the association has firmly resolved that the Igbo Canadian Community Association, otherwise known as ICCA (Umunna), a Non-Profit Ontario Corporation, will be the umbrella body that will re-instill a sense of identity and pride within the Igbo nation by promoting her language, culture, history, traditions and philosophy of Igbo nation; create awareness of political and social condition of Igbo peoples in Nigeria and diaspora and help proffer and articulate solutions to Igbo problems with a view to reawakening the original and quintessential Igbo spirit and psyche as well as pursue cultural and historical education our people with the view to promoting the glorious heritage of the Igbo nation and its people.
Direct Enquiries to
Mr. Ahaoma Kanu,
PRO,
ICCA/Umunna
+1-365-880-7337
(goodname77@gmail.com)
Igbo Canadian Community Association (ICCA/Umunna)
680 Scarlett Road,
Toronto, Ontario
M9P 2T4
Canada

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