Former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmad Sani Yerima, says the Biafra agitators in the South East, are on a legitimate struggle for self determination.
Yerima on Tuesday advised the federal government and security agencies to allow the protesters exercise their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the constitution.
He cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the Armed Forces against the use of force on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Survival of the Sovereign State of Biafra ( MASSOB).
Yerima added that it was wrong for people to classify the pro-Biafra agitators as secessionist, because they have legitimate rights under the Nigerian Constitution to express their views on any issue.
He said that rather than treat the agitators as rebels who must be forced to either remain in Nigeria or be crushed, the Federal Government should find out why the agitation keeps growing by the day.
Yerima stressed that there should be no compulsion in a democracy and IPOB must not be compelled to belong to Nigeria.
“These are people that want self determination. They believe that they are homogeneous in terms of tribe, language and culture and they want to live together and have their own community.
“In the end, you see, this is politics. I don’t believe in using force to make them succumb, submit or follow Nigeria and to stay in Nigeria.”
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