Igbo groups, known as the Rising Sun Foundation and Ambassadors for Self Determination, have marked 30 months of the detention of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, with a renewed call for his unconditional release.
The groups in a statement commended President Bola Tinubu for showing signs of interest in dialogue towards releasing Kanu but pleaded with him to heed the growing calls for Kanu’s release.
Signatories to the statement include Maxwell Dede Emole, Dr Remy Okea, Evans Nwankwo, and Benjamin Nwankwo on behalf of Rising Sun Foundation Inc. USA, and Ambassadors For Self Determination.
They argued that if the Federal Government could discontinue the prosecution of other agitators like Sunday Igboho of the Yoruba Nation; Omoyele Sowore of the Revolution Now Movement; and even Bello Bodejo, the leader of the controversial Miyetti Allah Kyautal H*re; same gesture could be extended to the IPOB leader.
The groups advised Tinubu against selective justice by his predecessors, and break a jinx of freeing Kanu as already ordered by several courts.
They further argued that Kanu’s continued incarceration amounted to the detention of the entire Igbo people whose cause he was defending.
The statement read: “As long as Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains imprisoned, the entire Igbo nation is held captive. This reality cannot persist indefinitely.
“The call for his release is not just a plea for one man’s freedom; it is a rallying cry for the liberation of our entire people from systemic oppression and neglect. We must pray for Kanu’s health and safety, for the consequences of his continued detention could be dire for our collective future.”
Accusing South East political leaders of reluctance and non-committal in the efforts to free Kanu, the groups urged Tinubu not to be misled about the imperative of releasing Kanu.
They expressed concern over Kanu’s failing health and appealed to Tinubu not to allow Kanu to die in detention.
The statement further read:” The Rising Sun Foundation, alongside other conscientious and freedom-loving citizens of the Igbo nation and beyond, can no longer remain silent as our distinguished leader, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, endures the unbearable conditions of detention in Nigeria’s Directorate of State Security Services (DSS).
“As he marks 30 months of unjust incarceration, it is imperative that we amplify our voices against this blatant violation of his rights, especially in light of several court orders demanding his unconditional release.
“The Nigerian government, under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has recently shown signs of a potential shift toward dialogue regarding Kanu’s release.
“This is a notable contrast to the treatment of other political detainees such as Sunday Igboho of the Yoruba Nation, Omoyele Sowore of the Revolution Now movement, and even Bello Bodejo, the leader of the controversial Miyetti Allah Kyautal H*re.
“These figures have been released and their legal cases dismissed, raising serious questions about the selective application of justice in Nigeria.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains the sole political prisoner among them, a situation that is not only perplexing but also indicative of deeper systemic issues within the Nigerian political landscape.”
