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The south-east caucus in the house of representatives has asked President Bola Tinubu to grant clemency to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was recently convicted of terrorism offences.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment last week after he was found guilty on five of the seven terrorism charges filed against him by the federal government.
Before the judgement, James Omotosho, the presiding judge, ordered Kanu out of the courtroom over what he described as “unruly conduct.”
Hours after the sentence, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s counsel, said on X that his client had been transferred from the detention facility of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja to a correctional centre in Sokoto.
‘PRESIDENTIAL ACT OF MERCY NEEDED’
After a meeting on Monday at the national assembly complex, 42 members of the south-east caucus resolved to appeal directly to Tinubu on behalf of Kanu.
The lawmakers argued that Kanu’s imprisonment is worsening the fragile security situation in the south-east region.
Reading a communiqué issued after the meeting, Idu Igariwey, lawmaker representing the Afikpo north and south consituency of Ebonyi, said the caucus respects the judiciary but believes the matter now requires a political approach.
The communiqué, titled ‘Appeal for a political and humanitarian resolution in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’, urged Tinubu to prioritise national stability above strict legal interpretation.
“The south-east caucus of the house of representatives met today, November 24, 2025, in Abuja, to review the recent judgement in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to assess its implications for peace, security, and stability in the south-east region, and the nation at large,” Igariwey said.
“As elected representatives, we reaffirm our total respect for the judiciary and the processes that led to the conviction.
“However, our responsibility also requires us to speak with clarity when a legal matter evolves into a broader national concern with serious humanitarian, economic, and security consequences.”
He said the caucus resolved to ask the president to consider a “political and humanitarian intervention” under section 175 of the Constitution to grant Kanu a pardon.
According to the caucus members, Kanu’s continued incarceration has intensified agitation in the region.
“The continued detention of Mazi Kanu has contributed significantly to tension and agitation in the south-east,” Igariwey said.
“Despite numerous calls for calm, the atmosphere remains strained.
“A presidential act of mercy at this time has the potential to de-escalate tensions, restore normalcy, and reduce the cycle of security operations and civil resistance.”
He noted that the south-east region has endured significant social and economic disruption.
“Beyond its political nature, this matter has taken a deep emotional toll on families, communities, and the general population,” he said.
“The south-east has experienced profound social disruptions — closed markets, interrupted schooling, reduced commercial activity, and fear.”
He said caucus members all agreed that a political resolution would ease these burdens and restore normal life in the region.
Igariwey said Nigeria has a history of using presidential pardon to heal divisions.
“Nigeria has, in critical moments in its history, relied on presidential magnanimity to heal divisions and consolidate peace,” he said.
“Indeed, the authors of our constitution conceived of section 175 in anticipation that the bare dictates of the law may sometimes prove insufficient in tackling complex legal issues that are better handled politically via presidential discretion.”
He said a presidential pardon for Kanu would send a message of inclusiveness and national unity.
The lawmaker added that such a gesture would create room for broader engagement between the federal government and stakeholders in the region.
The caucus also urged residents of the south-east to remain calm and law-abiding.
