A coalition of Igbo leaders has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The group condemned what it described as the federal government’s “unjust treatment” of Kanu while embracing and rehabilitating Boko Haram members under the pretext of amnesty and repentance.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the leaders questioned why a man demanding self-determination is still behind bars four years after his arrest, while known terrorists are being reabsorbed into society and, in some cases, allegedly paid off by the government.
“It is unjust to keep Mazi Nnamdi Kanu locked up while the same government pardons and funds Boko Haram and bandits,” the group said.
The statement was signed by prominent figures including Ben Nwankwo and Evans Nwankwo of Ambassadors for Self-Determination USA, AVID President Sylvester Onyia, and representatives of Rising Sun Group, Maxwell Dede and Father Odimegwa.
They accused the government of operating with double standards, saying, “The same government that gives money to armed groups now keeps Kanu in detention for merely speaking up for the rights of his people.”
The leaders also applauded the global criticism of Kenya’s involvement in Kanu’s arrest, calling it “a first step toward justice,” and demanded accountability for those behind his alleged illegal abduction.
They concluded by saying that until Kanu is freed, their voices will not be silenced, insisting that they stand for “justice, dignity, and the right to self-determination.”