Biafra

EXCLUSIVE: Nnamdi Kanu to give up Biafra agitation after release

Published

5 months ago

July 8, 2024

The embattled leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu will finally give up Biafra agitation if the ongoing political horse trading over his release pans out well, a source involved in the negotiation authoritatively told edujandon.com .

The DSS is holding Mr Kanu, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, over charges of treasonable felony arising from his separatist for the secession of independent Biafra from Nigeria.

His trial started in 2015 and stalled after he fled the country on being granted bail in 2017.

Kanu’s escape from Nigeria occured after the military under the leadership of Major General Tukur Brutai (rtd) launched vicious attack in his Afara-Ukwu home in Umuahia which resulted to the of scores of civilians and members of Biafra Security Service (BSS).

He was re-arrested in Kenya in June 2021 to continue his trial. The trial judge, Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, ordered his remand in DSS throughout his trial.

In April 2022, Binta Nyako struck out eight of the 15 counts in the charge.

The remaining seven counts were also quashed by the court of appeal on October 13, 2022, with the judge ordering Kanu’s release.

On October 28, 2022, the court of appeal granted a stay of execution on its verdict discharging Kanu, after the federal government filed an appeal at the supreme court.

Since Nnamdi Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria, the insecurity in the Southeast region has gone so bad that no day that passes without recording the incident of gunmen attack.

Both security and innocent civilians killed during several encounters.

There have been calls by concerned stakeholders for Nnamdi Kanu to be released as this will douse the growing tension in the region.

Recently, over 50 lawmakers in the House of Representatives in Nigeria wrote to President Bola Tinubu demanding for Kanu’s release.

Last week, Southeast governors and lawmakers added their voice to the long list of stakeholders calling for the release of the flippant separatist leader.

Though, this is coming after he promised to comply with conditions set for his release by the federal government of Nigeria.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the lawmaker representing Abia-South in the Senate, on Wednesday last week when he led Senators from the Southeast region to meet the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN over Kanu’s release, told newsmen that the IPOB leader has expressed readiness to play by the rule if granted bail.

According to the lawmakers, Kanu’s release is key to reviving the economy of the south-east region.

Abaribe said the “peaceful demand of the IPOB leader had been hijacked by criminal elements, leading to wanton killings of innocent people, including security operatives”.

Senator Abaribe expressed strong believe that the AGF would persuade the federal government to release the separatist leader.

He also revealed that Kanu, whom he had visited at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters, is willing to comply with any conditions set by the authorities for his release.

A source privy to the ongoing political horse trading told NewsBand Newspaper that one of the conditions that will be presented to Kanu for his release is, he will go underground and never speak on his franchise radio.

Secondly, he will openly denounce and disband the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Thirdly, he will completely disassociate himself from Simon Ekpa, a Finland based fugitive who runs a parallel Biafra movement. As this will enable the federal government to launch decisive operation against him.

“Yes, Nnamdi Kanu will be released but I can’t tell the actual time. His releases will come with a lot of stringent conditions. He will not speak on radio Biafra again. ESN will be disbanded. Kanu will also disassociate himself from Simon Ekpa. These are some of the conditions that will be presented to him”, the source said.

However, with these conditions, it appears that the federal government in no distant time will throw Nnamdi Kanu and his supporters under the bus as this will finally mark the end of an era.