- He highlighted Tinubu’s potential role in facilitating Kanu’s release for fostering peace in the South-East region
Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, emphasized the Igbo community’s acknowledgment of President Bola Tinubu as the constitutionally elected leader of Nigeria.
During an interview with journalists, he underscored the importance of releasing Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the deposed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
While IPOB insists on the illegality of Kanu’s continuous detention and advocates for self-determination supported by international laws, including those of the United Nations and the African Union Charter, Iwuanyanwu stressed his discussions with Igbo communities, confirming their acceptance of Tinubu as the president.
He highlighted Tinubu’s potential role in facilitating Kanu’s release for fostering peace in the South-East region.
He said, “I, as a leader of Igbos, after consultation with my people, we all agree that there was no reason why Nnamdi Kanu should be incarcerated, no reason why he should be detained.
“He didn’t serve any risk. Rather, his release will help Nigeria and will help the security agencies to differentiate who is a criminal and who is a very honest and dedicated Nigerian. Many criminals hide under the fact that Nnamdi Kanu is in detention and continues to unleash heinous crimes on our people in the southeast.
“As you have already noticed, some people stay outside Nigeria and, from time to time, mobilise armed robbers, armed gunmen, even declare sit at home. And, of course, you know our people are mercantile people, people who are commercial.”
Speaking further, Iwuanyanwu said the sit-at-home order is affecting business in Igbo land and is heavily inflicting hardship on the people, adding that if Nnamdi Kanu is released, normalcy will be restored.
Fielding questions on the recent verdict of the Supreme Court on the Terrorism trial for Kanu, the President-General said, “The Supreme Court judgment doesn’t bother us because the Judge is supposed to interpret the law and carry our justice.
“We actually didn’t appeal to the Supreme Court; the appeal we made was to the President. Our President, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, that’s the person to whom we actually made the appeal, and I believe that our President will realise that if all Igbos are saying one thing, then there must be something in it.
“And besides, Nnamdi Kanu has openly renounced the activities of people who have been kidnapping, murdering, and killing people in the South-East in the disguise of Nnamdi Kanu’s detention.
“Nnamdi Kanu has cautioned that they should stop. He said this openly, and we know that. That is why we are saying that he should be released because we don’t want people to continue to commit crimes under the guise that Nnamdi Kanu is in detention.
“So, I still believe that our president will yield to our request and release him so that now we can now differentiate between those who were actually fighting for him and those who were just criminals,” he added.