Abaribe leads South East Senators to push for IPOB leader’s release

The leader of South East Senate Caucus National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Wednesday(today) led 15-member senators from South East extraction to the Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi requesting the release of the detained leader of the agitators of the Indegineous People of Biafra(IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The South East Caucus, in a letter to the AGF endorsed by the 15 senators titled: “Request to the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” highlighted that following the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the South East has been thrown into increased insecurity including the malignant sit-at-home which has led to the loss of trillions of Naira in revenue over the years. This does not augur well with the vision of His Excellency President Bola Tinubu to lead a secure and safe Nigeria with massive economic growth. Nigeria’s evonomicgrowth and overall development will only be possible when there is peace in all of its federating zones and all the zones feel that there is justice and equity.

While appealing for the release of the IPOB Leader, the group called the attention of the AGF to events of June 19, 2024 at the Federal High Court Abuja, where both the defence and prosecuting attorneys, in line with section 17 of the Federal Court Act, discussed the possibility of an out-of-Court settlement in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Adding that the possibility of this out-of-court settlement was further affirmed by Honourable Justice Binta Nyako who stated that parties are at liberty to explore out-of-court settlement if they both agree.

Harping on the recognition of the AGF’s statutory and inherent power to settle and compromise any legal matters on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria as the Chief Law Officer, the South East Senate Caucus recalled how in a notice of discontinuance, dated February 14, 2024, the AGF called for the discontinuation of the treasonable felony charges against former Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Mr. Omoyele Sowore, in the exercise of his powers as contained in section 174 (1)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria1999 as amended, and section 107 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015. Similarly, Mr. Sunday Adeyemo alias Sunday Igboho, whose case is similar to that of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and who was held in Benin Republic has since been granted freedom and has rejoined his family and friends in Nigeria.

The group further recalled how in May 2024, the Federal Government, through the office of the AGF withdrew the terrorism charges against the President of Myetti Allah, Bello Badejo.

In the light of the above, Senate South East Caucus therefore requested the AGF to extend the same magnanimity to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to show the federal government’s commitment to peaceful resolution of issues with the aim of engendering lasting peace by looking at the bigger picture and in the overall interest of our country.

“In considering our country’s diverse ethnicity and the lingering problems of unequal treatment of the different ethnicities, it is really important that in our efforts to build a strong, united and virile nation, efforts must be made to portray equal and just treatment of all irrespective of tribe, religion or historical background, the group added.

The Senator Abaribe-led South East Senate Caucus noted that it the believe of the South Eastern Nigeria, as represented by the opinion of Governors; National Assembly Members, leaders of industry from the region, traditional leaders, President Generals of community development associations, youth leaders etc that the first step towards lasting peace in the region is the region is the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the discontinuation of the case against him. Kanu’s release will signal the Federal government’s commitment to fairness to all, inclusive growth and development and desire for lasting peace.

While fielding questions from Judiciary Correspondents, immediately after the closed-door meeting, Senator Abaribe expressed worries that the economy and social life in the Southeast had suffered enough due to the continued incarceration of the Biafra nation agitator.

He stated that the peaceful demand of the detained IPOB leader had since been hijacked by hoodlums and hardened criminals which has now resulted into wanton killings of innocent people, including security operatives.

Senator Abaribe disclosed that he had met with Kanu at the headquarters of the Department of State Services, (DSS), on Monday in Abuja and that Kanu had agreed to abide by any conditional release.

He expressed optimism that once Kanu is released, the tension and acrimonies engulfing the Southeast region since 2021 would become an event of the past.

The lawmakers passionately pleaded with the AGF to pass their message to President Tinubu and for the AGF to use his position to terminate all charges brought against the IPOB leader by the federal government.

Abaribe said that virtually all political leaders, religious leaders and stakeholders have unanimously agreed that Kanu be released for peace to bounce back to the region.

Recall that Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 by the Federal Government and brought to the country for trial on terrorism charges.

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to admit him to bail on the ground that he jumped the earlier one in which Senator Abaribe was his surety.

The IPOB leader has since been in the custody of the DSS on the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, even though he pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Nnamdi Kanu is currently facing treasonable felony charges brought against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.