A coalition of 44 members of the House of Representatives has made a direct and unified appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to secure the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, through a political solution.
The lawmakers, operating under the banner of the Concerned Federal Lawmakers for National Unity, delivered a two-page letter and a formal resolution to the Presidency on Tuesday. The group, comprising members from both northern and southern Nigeria, argued that continued detention and legal prosecution are exacerbating insecurity in the South-East region.
They specifically requested that President Tinubu direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the trial against Kanu, thereby paving the way for a broader national dialogue to address the underlying grievances fuelling the agitation.
The signatories, including Honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere, Honourable Obi Aguocha, and Honourable Mudashiru Lukman, amongst others, stated that their motivation stems from a pressing need for national healing.
In their letter, they wrote, “Dear Mr President, following a strategic closed-door meeting involving lawmakers committed to strengthening national peace and stability… we jointly present this resolution on the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
The lawmakers justified their appeal by referencing “the escalating insecurity in the South-East since 2015—worsening from 2021,” and pointed to “various domestic court rulings and international tribunal decisions that have called for Kanu’s release.”
They further stated, “We believe the time is ripe for a decisive political approach.” The letter concluded with a respectful plea: “We respectfully urge Your Excellency to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the case against him and initiate an inclusive political dialogue that can deliver a fair and lasting resolution.”
Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges of treasonable felony. After being granted bail in 2017, he fled the country following a military operation at his home in Abia State. He was subsequently re-arrested in Kenya in June 2021 and extradited to Nigeria in a move that the Court of Appeal later declared “illegal” and a “flagrant violation of the law.”
Despite the appellate court’s ruling in 2022 which discharged him of all charges, the Federal Government refused to release him, opting instead to pursue an appeal at the Supreme Court, citing national security concerns.
This prolonged legal stalemate has been identified by observers as a significant catalyst for the unrest and frequent sit-at-home orders in the South-East, which have crippled economic and social activities.
