A fresh bid to secure freedom for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on compassionate grounds, may have commenced.
According to Tribune Online, This development surfaced on Saturday after a former spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign in the South-East, Denge Josef Onoh, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release Kanu into the custody of two prominent South-East leaders—the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata.
In a statement made available to Tribune Online, Onoh urged President Tinubu to hand over Kanu as part of ongoing efforts aimed at promoting inclusive governance, national healing, and conflict resolution.
He explained that his nomination of Senator John Azuta-Mbata was not just due to their personal bond but because, as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mbata represented the authentic voice of the Igbo people.
He noted that Mbata had consistently advocated for equity within Nigeria rather than division and had recently argued for Kanu’s release on humanitarian grounds, stressing that prolonged detention offered no real benefit to the government.
Onoh described Mbata as a statesman whose influence went beyond partisan politics and electoral cycles, enabling him to support Kanu’s reintegration without personal ambition.
He said he could vouch for Mbata’s integrity and highlighted his leadership in mobilising Ndigbo for civic responsibilities like voter registration as proof of his commitment to democratic participation over separatist agendas.
Further talking, he said, “By entrusting Mazi Kanu to these custodians, Mr. President, you would preempt any risk of his release being politicised by South-East politicians eyeing 2027 polls or internal rivalries.
“I live amongst these southeast politicians, I can boldly tell you Mr. President, I know them more than you do; I know their history and antecedents.
“They are my Igbo brothers and sisters, and we speak the same language, so most of them will hate me for this statement to you because they thrive on the chaos to promote their political ambitions.”
He argued that both Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Senator John Azuta-Mbata lacked partisan baggage—Bianca serving as a federal appointee and Mbata as a cultural leader—and had the moral weight to ensure conditions such as renouncing violence, embracing dialogue, and supporting government peace efforts.
According to him, handing Kanu over to them would demonstrate the President’s commitment to inclusive federalism, honour the South-East’s role in Nigeria’s democracy, and reflect global best practices for resolving separatist conflicts through trusted mediators.
He further proposed that each South-East governor should nominate their state’s traditional rulers’ council chairman, with the Obi of Onitsha leading them, to sign an undertaking alongside the NSA and security chiefs.
Onoh stressed that the trust the President placed in him as his voice in the South-East was his greatest honour, greater than any political office. He said releasing Kanu under these safeguards would not only calm agitation but also strengthen the Renewed Hope agenda by proving that Nigeria’s unity rests on justice rather than coercion.
He pledged his readiness to support the process in any capacity and urged the President to act without delay. See, More, Here>>>>
