Published on the Biafra Post
Nov 21,2024
There is essentially one bold step the Federal Government of Nigeria may take, and the insecurity rearing its ugly head in the South East Zone may automatically cease. That step is the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
The above assertion is the popular opinion of most Igbo people. Ndigbo believe that the moment Kanu, the supreme leader of IPOB is set free, insecurity in the region will surely reduce it to its barest minimum.
“Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge in the South East currently is the hydra-headed monster called insecurity. It is mainly caused and its sustenance made possible by the continued detention of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. I tell you, release Kanu today, and insecurity in the entire Igbo nation will largely disappear”, Igwe Onyekachi stated in Awka, Anambra State.
The political scientist added, “Let me say this with every sense of respect. There is no reason why the federal government should still be detaining Kanu.
“To begin with, the court had freed him and even acquitted him. Rather than the Federal Government obeying the court order, it turned around and preferred new charges against the Biafran agitator. That is not the way to go”.
A public affairs analyst, Sunny Igboanugo, submitted that what was baffling about Kanu’s incarceration was, that agitators from the other political zones who were carrying out the same action as the director of Radio Biafra had been walking the streets as free men.
He gave the example of Sunday Igbogho, who dared to saunter to No. 10 Downing Street, London, England, and submitted an application to the British Government praying for the creation of the Oduduwa Republic out of Nigeria. Almost two months after his action, Igboanugo wondered why the Federal Government has yet to apprehend the Oduduwa Republic promoter for prosecution.
It beats any reasonable imagination why both former president, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, and current President Bola Tinubu never hearkened to the pleas of respected Igbo leaders who at various times urged the Federal Government to set Kanu free.
The floodgate of clarion call was pathetically opened by the First Republic parliamentarian and erstwhile minister of aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi. The old man, before dying at the ripe age of 92, called on Buhari to release Kanu to him as a parting gift to him. As a seasoned parliamentarian, he employed all manner of positive legislative intrigues, beginning Buhari for MNK’s release, but the then-president never listened. “It was highly insulting because that peaceful old man died without Buhari listening to him”, Chika Akukwe stated then.
The Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Ben Nwabueze took it from there and continued from where Amaechi stopped. “Nwabueze, using all legal windows called on both Buhari and Tinubu to obey the court order that discharged as well as acquitted Kanu and allow the man to go home.
“Nwabueze reminded Tinubu that he was at the forefront of human rights activists and pro-democracy groups calling on the military governments of both Late General Sani Abacha as well as retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar to grant freedom to the hitherto detained acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993, presidential election, Bashroun MKO Abiola. Buhari left office, and Kanu was still in detention.
“Now, Tinubu came and Nwabueze was unwavering in his application for Kanu’s release. The legal luminary had passed on and Tinubu is into his second-year presidency, yet he has turned deaf ears to Nwabueze’s calls for MNK’s freedom”, Chuka Nwaubani, enthused.
The point must be made here that the late governor of old Anambra State and Ohanaeze big shot, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, was an ally of Tinubu during the heady days of NADECO. Ezeife, a political economist and a perfectionist, explored his imagined closeness with Tinubu to seek for avenues for the eventual release of Kanu from detention. It was an unfruitful expedition.
In the early days of Kanu’s arrest, detention, and arraignment, the three prominent Igbo who regularly identified with him in the court were Amaechi, Nwabueze, and Ezeife. Sadly, the three men are dead without realising their collective dream of seeing Kanu out of the bar!
Another painful narration of the politics of Kanu’s freedom was when renowned diplomat, Prof George Obiozo emerged as the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and swiftly sought Kanu’s release through diplomacy and diplomatic channels. Both Buhari and Tinubu never granted his prayers. He died while Kanu was still in detention.
Of course, Chief (Engr) Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu succeeded Obiozo in office. Iwuanyanwu was a man with powerful contacts and intimidating connections. He sprouts out his connecting tentacles, seeking his release. It was a tragic experience as Iwuanyanwu died and never saw the release of Kanu.
According to Ben Nnamdi, “If you consider how successive prominent Igbo leaders went to both Buhari and Tinubu begging for the release of Kanu even they (Buhari and Tinubu) snubbed all of them, then you should understand why there is a high scale of insecurity in the South East because of Kanu’s long incarceration in detention. Are you aware all of them: Amaechi, Ezeife, Nwabueze, Obiozo and Iwuanyanwu all died without the central government considering their pleas from nationalistic or statesmanship status”, Nwaubani concluded.
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