South-East Governors move to secure Nnamdi Kanu’s release

 

Joseph Irikefe

 

Governors from the South-East under the umbrella of the South-East Governors’ Forum met in Enugu on Tuesday with a resolve to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to plead for the release of detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

They also plan to discuss other pressing issues that will be of interest to the region and the country with President Tinubu.

The decisions of the Governors were contained in a Communique read to the media by the Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum cum the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, after their meeting at the Lion Building Government House Enugu, in Enugu State.

Governor Uzodimma was flanked by his brother colleagues – Dr. Alex Otti (Abia), Prof Charles Soludo (Anambra), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi State) and the host Governor, Dr Peter Mbah (Enugu State).

The Chairman of the Forum said during their visit to the President, they will discuss the issue of insecurity in the region and the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

The Communique added: “The Forum deliberated on the reviewed report of the South-East Security and Economic Summit held in Owerri on the 28th September, 2023 and agreed to implement the aspects of the report pertaining to security and economic integration and affirmed its desire to put actionable plans on the key issues agreed.

“The Forum also resolved to interface with the Federal Government to secure the release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

“The Forum commiserated with Government and people of Abia State, Ebonyi State, Imo State, South East, Nigeria and Chief Ogbonnaya Onu’s family on the demise of His Excellency, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

“The Forum received the delegation of Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON and His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe CFR, Obi of Onitsha, who came on a solidarity visit to the Forum.”

Consequent upon the demise of former Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Onu, the Forum announced the setting up of a nine-man burial Committee to be Chaired by the former Senate President, Senator Pius Anyim.

Senators from the south-east region of the country have met with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to demand the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

This came as the South-East senators on (today) Wednesday met with the AGF behind closed doors in Abuja over the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

The senators, numbering 15, were led by former Abia State Deputy Governor Enyinnaya Abaribe.

The lawmakers said unless Kanu was released, social and economic activities in the southeast region would continue to stagnate.

The senators handed over their letter of appeal for Kanu’s release to Fagbemi for onward passage to President Bola Tinubu.

Abaribe, who spoke to journalists on behalf of his colleagues, lamented that the economy and social life in the South-East had suffered enough due to the continued incarceration of the Biafra nation agitator.

He noted with grave concerns that the peaceful demand of Kanu had been hijacked by hoodlums and criminals, leading to the wanton killings of innocent people, including security operatives.

Abaribe said he had already met with Kanu at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS), adding that the IPOB leader had agreed to abide by any conditional release.

The lawmaker expressed optimism that once Kanu was released, the tension and acrimonies engulfing the South-East region since 2021, when he was clamped into DSS custody, would become an event of the past.

The South-East senators, therefore, pleaded with Fagbemi to convey their message to Tinubu and for the AGF to use his position to terminate all charges brought against the IPOB leader by the Federal Government.

They said virtually all political leaders, religious leaders, and stakeholders had unanimously agreed that Kanu be released for peace to return to the region.

It will be recalled that Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 by the federal government and brought to the country for trial on terrorism charges.

Although he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to admit him to bail on the grounds that he had earlier jumped bail, for which Abaribe was his surety.

Kanu has been in the custody of the DSS on the order of the Federal High Court.