By OKEY MADUFORO, Awka

The Igbo Community in Abuja has expressed disappointment over the conviction of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and his life imprisonment by Justice James Omotoso.

According to the statement by the President General of Igbo Community in Abuja, Engr Ikenna-Ellis Ezenekwe, this is an act of selective justice contending that Boko Haram terrorists are not treated the same way Kanu is being treated.

He insisted that Kanu was not given the chance to defend himself adding that it is indeed a sad day for all the Igbos both in Nigeria and in diaspora.

“The judiciary may have decided on its own to unravel the painstaking peace achieved in the South East by its singular act of declaring Mazi Nnamdi Kanu guilty without affording him the opportunity to defend himself.

“It does not speak well for the judiciary and for the Tinubu administration.

“The Igbo Community in Abuja is saddened and disappointed by this ruling,” Ezenekwe said.

He urged Nigerians to rise up and speak against the prolonged detention of Kanu, saying:

“We call on the spirit of patriotism and on patriotic Nigerians to rise and speak up against the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“This conviction is not in line with the spirit of brotherliness that was extended to the boko haram combatants and to other combatants around the country.

“Today is a sad day in Nigeria.”

Ezenekwe urged the Igbos in Nigeria to remain calm and be law abiding expressing confidence that justice would prevail.

“We want peace. And in the name of peace, we have called on our people to remain calm and law abiding.”

“We are confident Justice will prevail at the end,” he stated.