South East Senators have met with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, advocating for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
A delegation of approximately 15 senators, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South, initiated the meeting.
Despite the closed-door nature of the meeting, Senator Abaribe expressed optimism that the AGF would influence the Federal Government towards Kanu’s release, citing the adverse impact of his detention on the region’s security and economy.
Senator Abaribe emphasized that the continued detention of Kanu is a significant factor contributing to the South East’s social and economic stagnation.
Kanu has reportedly agreed to comply with any conditions set by the Federal Government for his release, according to Senator Abaribe, who met with Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters.
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This meeting follows a resolution by South East Governors to appeal to President Bola Tinubu for Kanu’s release. Additionally, about 50 House of Representatives members from various regions, under the banner “Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South East,” have urged the President to utilize Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to drop the terrorism charges against Kanu.
Nnamdi Kanu was initially arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, and later granted bail on health grounds in April 2017. However, after a military raid on his home in Umuahia, Abia State, Kanu fled the country, leading to the forfeiture of the N100 million bond by Senator Abaribe, who was one of his sureties.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in June 2021 and brought back to Nigeria. Although the court struck out several charges against him in 2022, the Supreme Court later allowed the Federal Government to proceed with the remaining charges.
