Eric Patrick
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has weighed in on the ongoing discussions regarding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and its relationship to the escalating insecurity in the South-East region.
Soludo, who has previously expressed his backing for Kanu’s release, highlighted that Kanu’s detention and the increasing security challenges in the South-East are distinct issues.
Soludo, in a statement, on Tuesday, noted that while he has consistently called for Kanu’s release, this stance should not be misconstrued as a direct solution to the region’s security woes.
Nnamdi Kanu has spent nearly five years in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) after his arrest in Kenya by Nigerian officials.
Despite numerous appeals from various organizations, and groups urging his release, the government has upheld his detention.
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Many hold the belief that Kanu’s release might open the door to peace in the South-East, a region that has experienced a surge in insecurity in recent years.
Soludo said, “The release of Nnamdi Kanu for me is different from the issue of security; I separate the two; I don’t link the two.
“Nnamdi Kanu, for me, is for us to have a conversation of a long-term future for the Igbos, and that is a different conversation.
“For the criminals behind kidnappings, we’ve offered an olive branch: come forth, and we will train and empower you. If you refuse, we will take action against you.”