Activities in Southeast won’t return to normal until Nnamdi Kanu is released – Senators to Tinubu

Southeast senators have petitioned President Bola Tinubu to release the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The lawmakers, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, believe that unless the IPOB leader is released, the social and economic activities in the region will continue to be stagnant.

The senators held a closed-door meeting with Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, where the letter to President Tinubu on the release of Kanu was delivered for passage to the presidency.

Addressing journalists immediately after the meeting, Abaribe who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, lamented that the economy and social life in the region had suffered enough due to the continued incarceration of the Biafra nation agitator.

Abaribe noted with grave concern, that the peaceful demand of Kanu had been hijacked by miscreants and hardened criminals, leading to wanton killings of innocent people, including security operatives.

The former Abia state Deputy Governor told journalists that he had already met with Kanu at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja on Monday, July 1, who had agreed to abide by any conditional release.

Senator Abaribe expressed optimism that once Kanu is released, the tension and acrimonies engulfing the region since 2021 when he was picked up by DSS, would become an event of the past.

The senators therefore pleaded with the AGF to convey their message to President Tinubu and for the AGF, to use his position to terminate all charges brought against the IPOB leader by the federal government.

Besides the Senators, Abaribe said that virtually all political leaders, religious leaders and stakeholders, have unanimously agreed that Kanu be released for peace to return to the region.

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, citing his jumping of the earlier one granted to him, where Senator Abaribe was his surety.

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