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By Chidi Okafor
The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, has called on the Federal Government to release the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to enable him to access proper medical care.
Azuta-Mbata also urged Igbos across the country to take part in the ongoing voter registration exercise and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, describing it as a crucial step towards political participation and securing the region’s interests.
In a short video message sent to The PUNCH on Thursday, the Ohanaeze leader stressed that the government should consider adopting a political solution to the Kanu issue, arguing that his continued detention offered the state no strategic benefit.
“I’m calling upon Ndigbo wherever you are in Nigeria to quickly go and take advantage of the voter registration exercise that is going on right now. Go and get your cards as quickly as possible,” Azuta-Mbata said.
“Secondly, I would like to call upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to quickly release Nnamdi Kanu. The government has no serious advantage in keeping him.
It is important that the government ensures his safety and welfare, and that it allows him to go and get medical treatment as quickly as possible. The government must adopt a political solution to this situation. I do not believe that the government has any serious advantage in keeping him any further.”
Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since his arrest in Kenya and repatriation to Nigeria in 2021, is facing trial on charges of terrorism and related offences.
His continued detention has drawn appeals from several political, traditional, and religious leaders across the South-East and beyond, with many calling for a negotiated settlement.
Azuta-Mbata’s fresh appeal adds to the growing pressure on the Federal Government to address Kanu’s case through dialogue rather than prolonged litigation.
He noted that releasing Kanu would help ease tensions in the South-East and allow the IPOB leader to attend to urgent health concerns.
