The call for the release of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is no doubt higher than that of people who are asking for him to remain in custody. Kanu was first arrested on October 14, 2015 on an 11-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods, among others. He was held in the custody of the Department of State Services till the ruling in January 2016 when the Federal High Court ordered that the detained Biafra agitator be kept in prison custody.
During his first detention, Kanu made various applications for bail, which were refused by the different judges.
On April 28, 2017, Kanu was released from prison on bail that was granted him on health grounds and issued a bench warrant for his arrest on the same date by Justice Binta Nyako. The bail was later revoked over his failure to appear in court for hearing.
Fast forward to June 2021, Kanu was re-arrested and brought back to Nigeria to face his trial after he fled from his home town in Afara-Ukwu, Abia State following an invasion of his home by the military sometime in September 2017. He has been in custody till date.
A suit seeking for Kanu’s release, which was filed by IPOB, was adjourned till September 4, 2023. The suit at the apex court is against the verdict of the Appellate Court, which stopped the release of the leader of the Igbo self-determination group.
Call of Nnamdi Kanu’s release
In recent days, many people have been calling for the release of Kanu for the sake of peace in the Nation. The General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, late last month appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release Kanu in the interest of peace and reconciliation.
Actress Rita Edochie has said that the release of Nnamdi Kanu will ensure the unrest in the South East becomes a thing of the past. In a post shared on her Instagram page, Edochie blasted the “elites” who take their children abroad to live while “making use of the children of the poor to cause unrest in the region”.
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The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, in May said he will ask Tinubu to release Kanu if former President Muhammadu Buhari fails to before leaving office. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in May also appealed to President Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu before the end of his tenure.
Okechukwu Isiguzoro, chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, asked Buhari to unconditionally release the leader of the proscribed IPOB from detention before leaves office. He said if the Federal Government can grant pardon to Boko Haram members, then Kanu should be released.
US Lawmaker representing District 139 in the Texas House of Representatives, Jarvis Johnson, asked United States Congress to compel the Nigerian Government to immediately release Kanu. Hassa Stan-Labo, a security expert, has asked President Tinubu to release the leader of the outlawed IPOB to end rising insecurity in South East Nigeria. Lotanna Ojukwu, younger brother to the late Biafra warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, asked President Tinubu to release Kanu to end the sit-at-home and insecurity challenge in the South East.
My opinion
If you ask me, the need for the Federal Government to release Kanu is of the utmost importance as it would help to promote peace and unity in Nigeria. Kanu is the leader of a group advocating for the secession of Biafra from Nigeria. His continued detention has led to increased tensions in the South East region, where IPOB is most active. This has resulted in a number of violent incidents, including the killing of security personnel and civilians.
The release of Kanu would help to de-escalate the situation in the South East and could lead to a lasting peace agreement between the Federal Government and IPOB. It would also send a message to other secessionist groups in Nigeria that the government is committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and not violence.
In addition to promoting peace, the release of Kanu would also help to unify Nigeria. Kanu’s detention has been seen by many as a symbol of the government’s oppression of the Igbo people. His release would show that the government is committed to protecting the rights of all Nigerians, regardless of their ethnicity.
The release of Nnamdi Kanu is a necessary step towards peace and unity in Nigeria. The Federal Government should take this opportunity to end the cycle of violence and build a more prosperous future for all Nigerians.
. Chinedu, also known as Sparobanks, is a freelance journalist and a Blogger based in Nigeria.
