On Wednesday, Senators from Southeast Nigeria made a heartfelt plea to President Bola Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
These Senators, including former Abia state deputy Governor Senator Eyinanya Abaribe and Senator Victor Ume, argued that the Southeast’s social and economic life will stay stagnant unless Kanu is freed.
They held a private meeting with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), where they presented a letter urging President Tinubu to release Kanu.
After the meeting, Abaribe spoke to journalists, expressing hope that the Attorney General would convince the Federal Government to release Kanu. He stressed that Kanu’s continued detention is causing increased insecurity and unrest in the Southeast.
Abaribe revealed that he had met with Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters. According to Abaribe, Kanu is willing to comply with any conditions set by the Federal Government for his release.
The Senator emphasized that the Southeast’s economy and social life have suffered greatly due to Kanu’s detention.
This meeting happened shortly after all Southeast Governors decided to approach President Tinubu to request Kanu’s release.
Previously, about 50 members of the House of Representatives from various parts of the country asked President Tinubu to release Kanu. They called themselves “Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South East” and urged the President to use Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to drop the terrorism charges against Kanu.
Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, after returning from the UK. After spending 18 months in detention, he was granted bail on health grounds on April 25, 2017, and released on April 28, 2017.
However, during his trial, Kanu fled the country following a military raid on his home in Umuahia, Abia State, which resulted in the deaths of some of his followers.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021, and brought back to Nigeria on June 27, 2021. Since June 29, 2021, he has been held in DSS custody.
