A socio-cultural group, The Igbo General Assembly in Europe has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider releasing Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of IPOB, to help restore peace in the South East.
Speaking at the 14th Igbo General Assembly in Sevilla, Spain, Chief Kingsley Ozo Ndibe, President General of IGA, expressed concerns about the ongoing agitations and insecurity in the region.
In a press release made available to THISDAY, Ndibe emphasised that Kanu’s release would end the violence and bring peace to the South East, citing previous court orders granting bail that were ignored by the former administration ¹. He urged President Tinubu to intervene, stressing the need for unity and cooperation.
Speaking at the event, Ndibe condemned Former President Muhammadu Buhari for disobeying the series of Court Orders which granted bail to Nnamdi Kanu, saying that it amounted to a violation of his fundamental human rights.
He said that the group decided to appeal to President Bola Tinubu as the father of all to look into the situation in South East where non-state actors seem to be calling the shots thereby causing untold hardship for the people.
Linking Kanu’s continuous detention to the agitations in the South East, the Igbo leader expressed confidence that the release of Kanu will end the agitations and insecurity in the South East.
His words. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been granted bail severally but the previous administration refused to obey one single court order and that’s a complete violation of his fundamental human rights.
“We leaders of Ndigbo in Europe are now appealing to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency look into the situation in the South East by helping us as his fellow countrymen to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally as they did in the case of Sunday Igboho and other agitators in the north even if it means applying a political solution to this case.
“So we wish to use this opportunity to speak to our father who is the President of Nigeria, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and all stakeholders, including the judiciary, to please look into the matter and ensure that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu goes back to his family and I believe that doing so will bring peace to the south east and end all forms of insecurity and agitations currently been experienced in different parts of South East which began with his arrest and continued detention.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Naomey Chika Nwachukwu, encouraged Nigerians to be patient with President Tinubu, assuring that his policies will yield positive results soon.
Speaking at the event, the Ambassador highlighted the importance of showcasing Nigeria’s cultural heritage, promoting unity among Nigerians, and fostering a sense of community.
“All Nigerians here in Spain have been showcasing their culture very positively. This event is actually very significant. It is an event that brings Nigerians together. It’s an event that showcased what Nigerians can offer. I am sincerely proud of what Nigerians are doing here. You can see what happened today and from here, I am also going to Laspamas where the Yorubas are also having their event today. You could see me dressed in Igbo cultural attire showcasing the culture of Igbos. When I also get to Laspamas, I will also change to Yoruba attire. We are one irrespective of the part of Nigeria that you are from, it is important that we showcase our culture wherever we find ourselves and that is what they are”, Nwachukwu, added.