Activist urges Nigerian government to free Nnamdi Kanu to douse tension in South-east
From Ogundele Olanrewaju
A United States-based attorney and human rights activist, Ochaigha Onyemobi, on Thursday, called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to effect the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and other detainees, in order to ease palpable tension in the South-East region of the country.
Onyemobi also commended the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, on the peace moves he embarked upon regarding the Nnamdi Kanu saga.
Kanu is facing trial over alleged terrorism offences.
The activist offered the suggestion in a statement titled: ‘Request for the unconditional release on bail for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his co-accused in detention’.
The statement read, “The Nigerian government is presently faced with multifaceted security problems across the country’s space.
“Concerted efforts, no doubt, are being deployed to tackle this menace.
“Sadly, the situation seems intractable and defiant of strategic interventions.
“Governments across the three levels: Federal, State and Local – necessarily need to adopt an effective quick-fix measures aimed at arresting the situation.
“It’s on this plank that, I must commend His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Anambra state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on his ongoing peace initiative in Anambra state.
He enjoined all stakeholders and supporters of peace in Anambra state to unite in quelling “the snowballing state of anarchy in the South-East”.
“Not a few of these leaders-of-thought believe the great role a freed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu would help in calling his IPOBians and followers to order.
“His presence would, to a great extent, unravel the riddle and mystery behind the identities of the unknown gunmen, the ESN, and other non-state actors stalking the South-East environs.
“It’s on the strength of the foregoing that I implore the Federal Government to leverage on its legal reach, to ensure an expeditious, judicial, unconditional bail for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his co- accused detainees.
“This will greatly douse the heightened tension in Igbo land.
The US lawyer, therefore, beckoned on other South-East governors to take a cue from their Anambra State counterpart in “adopting a dispassionate, but deliberate step at restoring peace in their domain”.
