Methodist Church of Nigeria synod throws weight behind calls for Kanu's release

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Methodist Church of Nigeria has joined the call for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Nigeria ( IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued yesterday at the end of  its 56 th diocesan synod held at the All Saints Methodist Church Amuzukwu Ibeku, Umuahia.

According to the synod, releasing Kanu has become necessary so as to "promote national unity, peace and cohesion" among the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

The synod, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to harken to the appeals of well  meaning Nigerians to release Kanu who has been in incarceration since 2015.

The communiqué which was signed by the Synod Chairman and  Archbishop of Umuahia, His Grace Rev. Dr. Raphael Opoko; and Synod Secretary , Very Rev. Evans Onyemara, also condemned the menace of herdsmen in parts of the country.

It called on the federal government to rein in the rampaging herdsmen and compel them to establish ranches in their localities instead of using their cows to inflict economic damage on other Nigerians.

Arguing that cattle  rearing is an individual business, the synod called on the federal government to as a matter of " utmost urgency" ensure that cattle owners establish ranches.

On the war against corruption, synod  commended the federal government for the introduction of whistle - blowing policy which has led to the recovery of billions of looted funds, but cautioned that the fight should be wholistic and not targeted at political enemies alone.

" The fight should be against corrupt officials whether they are in the church or mosque, political parties or in government even in the kitchen", it said.

It advised government to use the recovered looted funds to establish industries that would give job opportunities to the teeming Nigerian youths roaming the streets.

" Government should focus on the productive sector of the economy and make foreign exchange available for manufacturers if we must get out of recession soon. Government should encourage manufacturers who mean well for Nigeria."

Decrying the effect of recession in the country, the synod said " Kwashiorkor is coming out from Nigeria today as if we are in the war front", and urged government to take practical steps to re- fix the economy.

The synod also called for the prosecution of the looters who it described as economic saboteurs and enemies of the masses.

" Economic corruption is a sabotage and deliberate  action  to destroy the economy of Nigeria and the perpetrators should be prosecuted."


The synod further decried the worrisome  state of roads in the South East zone which it said had become death traps to commuters.

It urged the federal government to urgently commence the rehabilitation of all federal roads in the zone and  to bring back to site  the contractors  who had abandoned the projects.

The synod also threw its weight behind the calls for the speedy execution of the proposed second Niger bridge because of its importance to socio- economic activities in the South East.

It strongly condemned the recent directive by the federal government to delist non- agriculture courses in the Michael Okpara University Umudike, saying the policy will deny many candidates from Abia  state the opportunity of reading courses of their choice in the university.