American Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID, has told the Federal Government to return Nigeria to the 1960/1963 regional autonomy to save the country from implosion.

This was contained in a statement issued by Dr Sylvester Onyia, and Dr Godson Obiagwu, AVID President and Secretary respectively.

The US military veterans who, however, commended the recent signing into law, of the South East Development Commission, said Nigeria needed to urgently restructure to avoid imminent total collapse.

“The United States Military Veterans of Igbo Descent, believes that a return of Nigeria to 1960/63 regional autonomy is the only way to mitigate Nigeria’s socio-economic and security problems”, the statement said.

AVID which also renewed its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, said that the growing clamour for restructuring of Nigeria, had vindicated Kanu who was misunderstood by many when he was warning the country.

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According to the group, Kanu’s predictions about Nigeria have almost been fulfilled.

It recalled that Kanu had during a meeting with South East Governors, also agreed to a return to the 1960/1963 constitution as condition to review his agitation for Biafra’s restoration before his house was invaded in 2017.

AVID, therefore, advised the Presidency, to as a matter of urgency, consider the return to the 1960/1963 constitution to navigate the country out of the woods.

It also urged the Federal Government to consider other demands made by Kanu during the meeting with South East leaders, arguing that those demands if obliged, will help restore the confidence of South East in the country.

The statement made available to Vanguard, read in part:”In 2017, shortly after the leader of the Biafra indigenous people was freed from illegal detention, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the late Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Evangelist Elliot U. Uko, and the South-East governors met in Enugu state to discuss the demands of the Biafran people. On August 30, 2017, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu made these demands before the South-East governors, who were chaired by Engr. Dave Umahi.

“His demands included: Make Enugu a grade one international airport so that our people in different parts of the world can easily fly in without having to stop over first in any part of Nigeria.

“He demanded that River Niger be dredged to reduce the heavy loss of importation which our
people who dominate the sector painfully bear.

“He also demanded that Owerri airport which our people contributed money to build in the days of Governor Sam Mbakwe be upgraded to a functional Cargo airport.

“He equally demanded that Port Harcourt Sea ports be made to operate in full capacity so that big ships can berth in them.

” MNK demanded the revival of all moribund industries in the South-East and South-South to provide job opportunities for thousands of our youths and graduates from higher institutions.

“Following announcement of his demands to the South-East, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu reiterated that if they fail to address these problems, Biafrans will demand a referendum on their status as foreigners in Nigeria.

“At that point, Prof. Ben Nwabueze informed him that Nigeria was better off under the 1960s–1963 Constitution – (A restructured Nigeria). Respecting Prof. Ben Nwabueze as his father, he consented to restructuring along 1960 to 1963 Constitution, up until two weeks later, when Nigerian government security agents broke into his home in Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Abia state of Nigeria,

“Some of you today called him names and even called him a terrorist because you didn’t know what MNK stood for. Many lives were lost when Biafrans imprisoned in all government detention facilities across Nigeria, some of them were shot and killed, but no account of their deaths was provided just because they were Biafrans.

” His parents died because they were unable to withstand the shock. In light of the fact that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is still being held without authorization, both the North and the South have agreed that Nigeria should be restructured.

“The South-East Development Commission is something that the East is proud of. It wasn’t accidental; rather, it was the outcome of the very change-agitation that the IPOB and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, supported. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu defends humankind in battle. Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu now!”