On Saturday, Chukwuma Soludo, the governor of Anambra State, made a request to President Muhammadu Buhari for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Additionally, the governor offered to serve as a surety for the IPOB leader, who is still in the Department of State Services’ custody (DSS).
This comes after former Abia State governor and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, had also recently offered to serve as Kanu’s surety if granted bail once more.
At a rally in Akwa, Anambra State, to kick off the All Progressives Grand Alliance’s (APGA) national campaign, Soludo stressed the importance of having serious discussions about the deteriorating security situation in the South-East with all key players.
He said, “I now want to appeal and plead and request and demand of the Federal Government and our able president led by President Buhari that a critical person [is] required around that table for that conversation to be complete for us to have an all-round approach to dealing with the issue of insecurity and discussing the future of the South-East.
“That person – and we need him urgently around the table, please release him to us – and that is Nnamdi Kanu. I’m calling on the Federal Government to please release Nnamdi Kanu.”
Bianca Ojukwu, the late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s widow, could be seen cheering the governor and grinning widely.
Soludo said that the South-East needs Kanu at the table, saying the people of the region are prepared for a “comprehensive, heart-to-heart conversation” about the future, security, and prosperity of the geopolitical zone.
Soludo said, “No one should be left behind; everybody should be there. If we cannot release him unconditionally as requested by the court judgements and so on, I now offer to be the surety. Release him to me. I will keep him. Release Nnamdi Kanu to me.
“I will keep him. I will provide him shelter and anytime that you need him, we will bring him to you. Give him to me, we will house him here in Awka. Let us release him and let us bring this insecurity in the South-East to an end.”
Kanu was cleared of all charges of terrorism on October 13, 2022, by an Abuja-based Court of Appeal. However, the Federal Government appealed the ruling, and the court granted the government’s request to halt the IPOB leader’s release from the judgment.