Residents of Abia State have urged President Bola Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a symbolic gesture for Nigeria’s Independence Day on October 1. Speaking on Saturday, locals from Kanu’s Isiama Afara community in Umuahia North Local Government Area said his release would not only bring joy to the Southeast but also end the region’s ongoing unrest tied to his detention.
Godson Chike, an Aba resident, lamented that Kanu’s prolonged trial has dampened the spirit of Independence Day celebrations in the Southeast. He argued that freeing Kanu would halt the insecurity fueled by those exploiting his detention to cause trouble, while also easing economic losses from sit-at-home protests. Chike praised Tinubu’s economic achievements but pressed him to complete federal road projects and other initiatives in the region to leave a positive legacy.
Kanu, arrested in June 2021 after being repatriated from Kenya, faces terrorism-related charges. Despite court rulings, including a 2022 Appeal Court decision discharging him, his detention persists as the Supreme Court awaits a final verdict. Abians hope Tinubu’s intervention could resolve the stalemate and restore peace.
