The Igbo community in Canada has called on Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to secure the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Their appeal is driven by concerns over Kanu’s deteriorating health and the escalating insecurity in Nigeria’s Southeast region.
Chief Dr. Anicetus Nwizundu, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Canada, noted that Kanu has been held by the Department of State Services (DSS) for more than four years, prompting widespread alarm among the Igbo diaspora. Despite repeated pleas for his freedom, Kanu remains in custody, and medical experts—including cardiologists who have examined him during hospital visits—have confirmed that his condition is serious and worsening.
The community is seeking compassionate intervention from the Nigerian government, emphasizing that Kanu’s imprisonment stems from his advocacy against the marginalisation of the Igbo people. They stress that they are not seeking confrontation but rather fairness and justice within the Nigerian federation, calling for recognition, equality and peace for a group that often feels treated as second‑class citizens in its own country.
In addition to Kanu’s health, the worsening insecurity in the Southeast is described as “terrifying and disheartening.” The pervasive violence has made travel and even sleeping at night unsafe, further destabilising the region.
The Igbo community believes that releasing Kanu could help restore calm and unity, paving the way for sustainable peace and development. They appeal to President Tinubu to demonstrate compassion and statesmanship by ensuring Kanu’s freedom, arguing that his release would contribute to national healing, correct many of the wrongs afflicting the Igbo homeland, and ultimately lead to lasting peace. The urgency of this call has intensified as the situation in the Southeast continues to deteriorate.
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