Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo WorldWide has again appealed to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
This appeal was made by the President General of Ohanaeze Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu during the 2023 Igbo Day Celebration at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu on Friday.
Iwuanyanwu said his appeal was predicated on the fact that Kanu, who is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was discharged and acquitted of all the charges against him by the Appeal Court.
He said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo has carefully reviewed Nnamdi Kanu’s case and we cannot find any just reason why he cannot be released.
“Ohanaeze has for several months pleaded with the federal government to release him.
“I hereby once again on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide make an appeal to the federal government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, more so when courts of competent jurisdictions in Nigeria have declared him innocent”.
He decried the spate of wanton killings going on in Igbo land, which he said was associated with the continued incarceration of Kanu by the federal government.
“As the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I consider myself a father and it pains me so much when my children are killed on a daily basis.
“It pains me when most of them have both their lives and livelihood destroyed. I will appeal to the federal government that in view of the fact that over two years, this situation has persisted, we need to adopt a non-kinetic approach.
“I strongly believe that if Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is released and a non-kinetic approach is adopted, we will be able to reduce and even stop the unnecessary killings and destruction of lives and property,” he said.
In his welcome speech, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Arthur Eze, a renowned philanthropist and entrepreneur, urged the governors of South Eastern Nigeria to put in more energy and time aimed at creating a conducive atmosphere necessary for commerce to thrive in the zone.
He also urged the federal government to address many issues of erosion menace and damaged federal roads in the South-East.
He said, “I seize this opportunity to call on the federal government to address the many issues of erosion menace and damaged federal roads in Southeast.
“I request His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to accommodate more Igbos in his administration.”
