Follow Us on Google
From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
As mixed reactions continue to trail last Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanu peaceful protests in Abuja and other parts of the country, President Tinubu has been advised to listen to well-meaning Nigerians and grant amnesty to the leader of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the others who have been detained over agitation for Biafra
Chima Chukwunyere, who is the national consultant on Community Policing to Police Community Relation Committee, PCRC, and chairman emeritus of Imo State Chapter of the group, made the call at the weekend in Owerri while reacting to Monday’s protest in Abuja.
Chukwunyere who urged President Tinubu to heed the call of the protesters in the spirit of national reconciliation, equity and fairness reasoned that releasing Kanu alone while many of his followers and their likes remain incarcerated would amount to selective justice.
He maintained that granting amnesty to Mazi Kanu and all detained members of IPOB as well as other political activists would ease tension across the country adding that it will give a sense of belonging.
Chukwunyere, managing Ddrector of Domino Hotels, Owerri, recalled that the Tinubu administration, on assumption of office dropped the treason charges against Mr Sunday Igboho, which were place on him in absentia.
“If President Tinubu had released Kanu as he did in the case of Igboho, the protest would have been averted and that would have earned him greater honour and support. Truth be told, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu deserved to have been released long before now since the Court of Appeal had discharged him for want of diligent prosecution,” he opined.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that many families of detained IPOB members have also cried out for release of their loved ones insisting that releasing the IPOB leader alone without extending such reprieve to his followers would amount to persecution and victimization.
It was also learnt that the arrest of Barr. Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel to Kanu and several others during the Abuja peaceful protest on Monday had sent jitters down the spine of the affected families for fear of possible clampdown.
It is to be noted that likes of one Eziefula, Uche, Umunnakwe and Obioma arrested since 2022 and several members of IPOB still being held in various detention facilities across the land.
