The spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has again renewed call for the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from custody to help fight insecurity in the South- east.
Ugochinyere who’s also the People’s Democratic Party, PDP House of Representatives candidate for Ideato federal constituency said the government releasing him, will help lay the foundation for peace, reconciliation and addressing all grievances.
In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, Ugochinyere lamented that those who want the confusion in Southeast and Imo state in particular to continue will always oppose any move for federal government to obey the court order for Kanu’s release.
Recalling a recent horrific incident in which he (Ugochinyere) was attacked by unknown gunmen in his hometown, he opined that the nation needs to separate criminals, murderous elements and some state backed faceless faceless armed groups who are hiding under all these crisis to destroy the land, kill and bomb the people.
Ugochinyere said that with the escalating insecurity in the southeast, and for restoration of peace, Buhari should show statesmanship and fatherly introspection by ensuring the Kanu’s release from detention.
He added that with the release, then comes the need to return to roundtable to address all grievances.
The statement reads, “The government’s disregard to the court rulings acquitting Kanu of all terrorism charges is quite saddening. October last year, Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, discharged the IPOB leader of the terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government. It followed an earlier ruling of the trial judge, Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in April dismissing eight of the 15 amended counts filed against him by the federal government.
“The court struck out all the remaining seven charges against Mazi Kanu. The court also discharged and acquitted the embattled leader of IPOB, declaring as illegal and unlawful his abduction from Kenya to Nigeria on July 9, 2021 and quashed the entire terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government. The appellate court held that the Federal Government breached all known local and international laws in the forceful rendition of Kanu to Nigeria thereby making the terrorism charges against him incompetent and unlawful.
“Yet up on till now, Maxi Kanu is being held in detention. Nigeria presently is contending with terrorism in the North East; farmers-headers clashes and banditry in the North Central; abductions and armed attacks in the South West; restiveness and attacks by unknown gunmen in the South East, and abductions, cult wars, vandalisation of oil installations and oil theft in the South South region.
“The President has more pressing issues to worry about, he should know that the nation cannot enjoy peace so long as any part thereof is troubled. Kanu can help tackle insecurity in the southeast, that’s why those who want the confusion in region and Imo state in particular to continue will always oppose any move for federal government to obey the court order for Kanu’s release. I therefore renew my call, appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to show statesmanship and fatherly introspection by ensuring the release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.”
