As many prolific southeastern politicians and leaders have continued to clamour for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to release the embattled leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
The IPOB leader has been in custody since being deported to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021, under questionable circumstances.
The Nigerian government is prosecuting him for alleged terrorism in Abuja’s Federal High Court.
Kalu made the call on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the National Assembly complex in Abuja following the maiden meeting of the House of Representatives committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC).
“We are pleading with him to balance justice with mercy and release Nnamdi Kanu to the southeast people. It would provide better protection for our people while also accelerating the progress that this SEDC will bring,” he remarked.
“We noticed that the insecurity there will be reduced if Nnamdi Kanu is released. We want Nnamdi Kanu to be released because we know it will give our people more security.”
He noted that President Tinubu has proven his love for the South-Easterners through his speedy assent to the South East Development Commission Bill, which failed in previous assemblies.
Kalu also proposed taking a political approach to addressing the region’s crisis rather than the existing legal alternative, saying that if it happens, the people of the region will be eternally thankful to the President.
“Those who use him as an excuse to commit all of these violent acts in our community will have no other reason to be on the streets. The police and security services will then apprehend anyone who says Nnamdi Kanu is responsible for inflicting harm on the people of the South East.
“So, we are begging, you can’t coerce the President; he’s the Commander in Chief. All we are saying is use a political approach, not the legal approach,” he stated.
