Cynthia Ezegwu
A group of 44 members of the House of Representatives, cutting across northern and southern regions, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to adopt a political solution to the prolonged detention and prosecution of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Operating under the banner of the Concerned Federal Lawmakers for National Unity, the lawmakers on Tuesday transmitted a two-page letter and formal resolution to the President, urging him to exercise his constitutional powers by directing the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the Federal Government’s case against Kanu.
The lawmakers argued that sustained political engagement, rather than continued courtroom confrontation, remained the most viable approach to resolving rising insecurity and longstanding grievances in the South-East. They said ending the prosecution would pave the way for a comprehensive national dialogue aimed at healing divisions and restoring peace in the region.
The letter was signed by Ikenga Ugochinyere, Obi Aguocha, Murphy Osaro, Peter Akpanke, Mudashiru Lukman, Paul Nnamechi, Dominic Okafor, Afam Ogene, Emeka Chinedu, Chimaobi Sam, Mascot Ikwechegh, Donatus Matthew, Ibe Osonwa, Okey-Joe Onuakalusi, and several others.
In the letter, the lawmakers said their resolution followed a strategic closed-door meeting and extensive consultations across political and ethnic lines.
“Motivated by the urgent need for national healing and reconciliation, and mindful of previous government negotiations with militants and various agitator groups, as well as the escalating insecurity in the South-East since 2015—worsening from 2021—we believe the time is ripe for a decisive political approach,” the statement read.
The group also cited multiple domestic court rulings and international tribunal decisions calling for Kanu’s release, expressing concern over the impact of his continued detention on regional stability.
“In light of the growing nationwide support for halting his prosecution, we respectfully urge Your Excellency to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the case against him and initiate an inclusive political dialogue that can deliver a fair and lasting resolution,” they added.
The lawmakers expressed confidence that the President would give their request careful consideration, praising his administration’s ongoing efforts to foster unity and stability nationwide.
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Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges including treasonable felony, an event that triggered widespread protests across the South-East and parts of the South-South. He was granted bail in 2017 but left the country after a military raid in Abia State, which IPOB claimed was an assassination attempt.
Kanu resurfaced abroad, continuing to call for a Biafran referendum until June 2021 when he was intercepted in Kenya and returned to Nigeria under circumstances widely described as controversial. His re-arrest sparked renewed agitation in the South-East, including sit-at-home orders and violent attacks linked by authorities to separatist elements.
In 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged him of all charges and declared his rendition from Kenya unlawful. However, the Federal Government refused to release him, citing pending appeals before the Supreme Court and concerns over national security.
Several international bodies and Nigerian courts have since questioned the legality of his continued detention, with analysts describing the impasse as a major driver of regional tension.
The intervention by the 44 lawmakers marks the latest push for a political resolution to the long-running standoff.