Ohanaeze Ndigbo Urges Federal Government to Release Nnamdi Kanu as Christmas Gesture

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been strongly urged by the famous Igbo socio-political organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo to be released by the Federal Government. They think this would be a nice present for the people of the South and East this holiday season. This request was made by Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, who is the Vice-President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, during a recent interview.

The nation is eagerly awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on December 15, 2023, in regards to the Federal Government’s case against Kanu. This appeal comes at the same time as that anticipation. According to Okeke-Ogene, there have been unfounded claims that certain Igbo leaders were complicit in Kanu’s lengthy detention.

We don’t want to dwell on the politics of Kanu’s release, he said. Given that competent courts have twice declared him not guilty and ordered his freedom, his release on December 15 would be a comfort. As a sign of goodwill toward the South-East, we hope that President Bola Tinubu will free Kanu after realizing the pointlessness of continuing to spend money and lives on this issue.

In recommending a comparable strategy for the South-East, Okeke-Ogene cited the methods used by previous presidents Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan to resolve conflicts in the Niger Delta. For the Igbo people, Kanu’s release is crucial, and he threatened a “black Christmas” if they didn’t get their leader released.

Concerning the judicial branch, Okeke-Ogene voiced optimism about the independence of the Supreme Court, highlighting the significance of a judiciary unfettered by political interference.

He went on to say that the US government should have worked more closely with Finland’s to deal with Simon Ekpa and his gang, who are accused of using agitation to incite violence in the area. A joint effort to tackle these security issues may be possible after Kanu’s release, according to Okeke-Ogene.

Additionally, IPOB has voiced its disapproval of Justice Tsammani Haruna’s elevation to the Supreme Court through its Secretary for Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful. Remanding Kanu in DSS arrest was allegedly a compensation for Justice Haruna’s action, according to Powerful. In his remarks, he voiced concerns about possible effects on the forthcoming Supreme Court verdict and cast doubt on Justice Haruna’s decision to delay the execution order of the Appeal Court’s judgment.