Community Pleads with President Tinubu for Release of IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu
The Etitinabu Na Ndagbo community, hometown of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, has issued a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu for his immediate and unconditional release. The plea was made during a press briefing held on Saturday in Afaraukwu, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.
The community stated that Kanu’s continued incarceration since his re-arrest in 2021 is causing profound emotional suffering to his family and the entire community. Represented by Professor Ugochukwu Ogbonna, Professor Leo Obinna, Ikechukwu Ndubueze, Mrs. Victoria Ngozi Orjinanta, and other natives, they described themselves as peace-loving and law-abiding people.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is our cherished son, whose continued incarceration has caused deep emotional distress to his immediate family and to our people at large,” the community’s press release stated. They formally requested President Tinubu to “listen to our plea today and extend a hand of love to us by releasing Maxi Nnamdi Kenneth Okwu-Kanu.”
The community pledged that if released, Kanu would conduct himself as a law-abiding citizen, arguing that his freedom would contribute to stability in Nigeria’s South-East region. They thanked Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and House of Representatives member Obi Aguocha for their ongoing efforts towards securing his release.
During the gathering, community members engaged in traditional expressions of lamentation, including singing and beating the community gong, a cultural signifier of distress.
Kanu, a prominent figure for the Biafran secessionist movement, is facing trial for treason and related charges before a Federal High Court in Abuja. His detention has been a source of significant tension and periodic unrest in the South-East. The community’s appeal frames his release as both a humanitarian issue and a potential step toward regional calm, directly addressing the nation’s highest office to seek resolution.
