The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Soludo made the demand in Awka, the state capital, during the campaign kick-off of the All Progressives Grand Alliance on Saturday, January 14, 2023.
Recall, Kanu was arrested in June 2021 in Kenya and subsequently extradited to Nigeria over treason charges after escaping from the country in 2017 while on bail.
He had in 2016 remanded in prison by Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism charges.
Kanu approached the Appeal Court seeking to quash terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
Kanu had faulted the order of Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered him to answer seven out of the 15-count terrorism charge against him. He had prayed the appellate court to quash the entire charges and set him free on various grounds.
The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja in October 2022, discharged Nnamdi Kanu on terrorism charges, however, the government refused to release him, claiming he still has questions to answer.
Soludo, who had earlier visited the embattled IPOB leader in detention, speaking on Saturday said; “I am making a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. If he cannot be released unconditionally, I want him released to me, and I will stand surety for him.
“We need Nnamdi Kanu in the roundtable conversation to discuss the insecurity in the South East. We must end insecurity in the South East and we need Nnamdi Kanu to be around.
“Sometime ago, we set up the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to find out the root cause of insecurity in the South East and they have almost concluded their assignment.
“But this issue of insecurity cannot be well addressed without bringing to the table the key players in this matter.
“We have applied the kinetic and non kinetic approach to fighting insecurity in the South East, but the non kinetic approach cannot be complete without the Federal government releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We must bring him to the table because we need him to be part of this process and I call on the Federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu to me, for us to have a comprehensive discussion for the fate of the South East.
“If we cannot release him based on the court process, I hereby offer myself as the surety for his release and whenever you want him, I will hand him over to you.
“We shall provide him shelter and give him home, and we make this plea in the true belief in the spirit of peace in the South East,” he said.
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