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By Chukwudi Nweje
Nigerians have urged the Federal Government to explore the option of a ‘political solution’ to resolve the insecurity in the South East geopolitical zone. Many of them believe that the quickest option is the unconditional release of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained by the Department of State Service (DSS), since his forced rendition to Nigeria from Kenya in 2021.
Critical observers are in agreement that moving from God’s Own state of Abia to the Light of the Nation, Anambra, Salt of the Nation, Ebonyi, to the Coal city of Enugu and the Eastern Heartland, Imo, one thing the five core Igbo speaking states of Nigeria share in common is the insecurity that has pervaded their landscape.
The South East that ranked the most peaceful part of Nigeria had suddenly become a theatre of insecurity where security of lives and property could not be guaranteed, a development that analysts traced to groups that claim they agitate for the release of Kanu.
Those that call for Kanu’s release are of the view that such act would bring lasting peace to the South East geopolitical zone. Moreover, they cite the cases of the leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) / Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mujaheed Asari Dokubo and Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) leader, Gani Adams, who at various times in Nigeria’s history engaged in similar agitations as Kanu to bring the plight of their people and region to the attention of the government, and where peace was achieved with the release of the agitators from incarceration.
Analysts, therefore, urge President Bola Tinubu to explore similar option in dealing with the Kanu/IPOB issue and print his name as successful where his Predecessor President Muhammadu Buhari failed.
Those who canvass the ideas are from within and outside the South East, and they are optimistic that peace and vibrant economic activities would return to the south East if Kanu is released.
It is no secret that the eastern region of Nigeria has suffered various forms of criminality and insecurity, ranging from attacks on private individuals and security personnel, the unknown gunmen phenomenon, kidnappings for ransom and in some cases assassination and the forced sit-at-home that forbade shop owners from opening for business on Mondays and any other day Kanu appeared in court.
Most of these crimes are blamed on IPOB/ Kanu supporters but analysts argue that releasing Kanu would not only restore peace and give the people of the South East a sense of belonging in the Nigerian project but would also unmask the criminal elements exploiting the detention of Kanu to cause mayhem.
Releasing Kanu is best approach
A legal practitioner, Ide Goddy Uwazurike, who is also President of the Cultural Credibility development Initiative (CCDI) said that common sense demands that the Federal Government should release Kanu to douse the current tension in the South East,
Uwazurike, who is also lawyer to the apex Igbo socio cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide noted that discussions to secure Kanu’s release started under the Buhari-led administration, and that Buhari made promises that he did not honour.
He urged Tinubu to release Kanu in the interest of peace in the South East and Nigeria as a whole.
He said, “common sense should tell the government that the only person capable of handling the situation in the South East is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He is a revered figure among Ndigbo and the tension in Igboland will go down if he is released.
“As the lawyer to Ohanaeze who witnessed the court proceedings, I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is the most charismatic figure in Igboland today.
“I was part of the four-man delegation led by the then 93 years old Chief Mbazulike Amaechi to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021 to bring peace in Igboland and carve his name in gold by releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Buhari said he will not say no to us and promised to respond to us directly but pleaded for time to ruminate over it. That was in November 2021; that promise was a lie, he never responded. Chief Amaechi died in 2022 and Buhari left office in 2023.”
Buhari later claimed that Kanu’s case was a matter for the judiciary to resolve and that he would not interfere in the judicial process. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is however still hopeful that Kanu would be released.
Prof. Charles Nwekeaku, who spoke at the recent inauguration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women and Youth Wings (FCT chapter) in Abuja, where he represented the President General of the apex Igbo group, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said the best thing the Tinubu-led government could do for the Igbo is to release Kanu.
He said: “What South East needs is security and a secure environment. Even if you appoint 100 service chiefs without the release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, you wouldn’t have peace.
“His (Kanu’s) release is central and fundamental to the peace mechanism in Igbo land. Without releasing Nnamdi Kanu, there is not much the service chiefs can do.
“We are pleading with the Federal Government to obey court judgement. The Court of Appeal unanimously discharged and acquitted Mr Nnamdi Kanu. So, we are asking that this very government should obey the order. The moment Nnamdi Kanu is released, there will be peace in Igbo land.”
Another lawyer, Adebayo Adeolu, noted that Kanu’s prolonged incarceration might have to do with “Igbo Phobia”, and urged Tinubu to end the marginalisation of the Igbo by releasing Kanu.
He said, “Nnamdi Kanu evokes the spirit and personality of Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and has emerged as the IPOB leader. He created an unbelievable political revolution where the people of the region listened to him and believed in his dream.
“The government of Buhari felt threatened so much that Buhari arrested Kanu on terrorism charges.
“The new government of Tinubu would score high marks if he releases Nnamdi Kanu as it would reduce the conflict tension and violence in the Eastern region of Nigeria. Failing to release Kanu would give the impression that it is a continuation of the Buhari government.
“It is not late to correct the problem and it will be in the best interest of the people of Nigeria to solve her internal problem before interfering with neighbouring Niger Republic.”
Nay sayers
However, there are people who feel Kanu should not be released. Surprisingly, one of the opposing voices is Dokubo, a former militant, who was a beneficiary of the political solution to NDPVF / MEND agitation.
Dokubo, who spoke after a recent audience with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa argued that releasing Kanu would amount to “rewarding criminality and rewarding gruesome murder of innocent people.”
He said, “He (Kanu) should face the law for the actions and instigations he has carried out.
“On security, I want to clearly say that there are full-scale wars going on in different parts of this country. In the South East, the IPOB/ESN is waging a full-scale war against the government of this country and many local governments, many communities are deserted, schools are closed, and hospitals are closed.”
Legal rigmarole
Analysts also observed that Kanu has continued to be in detention due to lapses in the judicial process.
It could be recalled that Kanu was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja in April 2017, when Minority Leader of the 8th Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe and two others stood as sureties for him. In September 2017, he jumped bail and fled Nigeria after an invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State by the military, during which scores of people were reportedly killed. Kanu had said he feared threat to his life and had to seek safety outside the country.
He was rearrested in June 2021 and forcibly brought back to Nigeria to face his trial. Then Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had said at a joint press briefing with the State Security Service (SSS) that international collaborative efforts with security agencies led to the arrest and repatriation of Kanu to Nigeria.
On October 13, 2022, a Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja acquitted and discharged Kanu from terrorism charges but the Federal Government refused to release him. Rather, the Federal Government appealed the decision of the court following which the court granted the government’s request to stop the execution of the judgement freeing Kanu.
On October 28, the Court of Appeal, in Abuja, ordered that the enforcement of the judgement releasing Kanu be put on hold.
Uwazurike wondered why the Federal Government did not obey the court order to release Kanu.
He said,”it is pertinent to point out that Buhari in interviews in 2022 declared that he will abide by the court decisions in this matter. The Court of Appeal declared the rendition, detention and trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconstitutional, null and void and ordered his release. Buhari lied because he refused to obey the court.
“Today, President Tinubu has a chance to do what Buhari deceitfully refused to do. Tinubu can carve his name in gold by obeying the court order.”
Last line
Adeolu argued that that perhaps the reason the government is reluctant to treat the IPOB issues the same way it did the NDPVF/MAND and OPC issue is what he referred to as Igbo phobia.
He said, “The dividends of good governance development and democracy seem to have failed and the discrimination of having an Igbo man at the very top as number one has been a political challenge because the ruling elite continue to have doubts, and the phobia of having an Igbo man as President of Nigeria. They have refused to allow the Igbo to the number one position of President of Nigeria five decades after the civil war and younger generation of people have taken up the challenge; that is what triggered the agitation for Biafra.”
