Political figures in the South-East have come under fire from the family of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra who is now detained, for not meeting with President Bola Tinubu to negotiate terms for their son’s release.
Since June 29, 2021, the leader of IPOB has been detained.
Justice Binta Nyako denied his most recent bail request on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel, questioned why Igbo political leaders had not met with Tinubu to discuss Kanu’s predicament nearly a year after the president took office in a statement released on Thursday on the family’s behalf.
The statement partly read, “How be it that nobody among Igbo political leaders has reached Tinubu to discuss Nnamdi Kanu’s release almost a year after he came to power?
“Is it not deliberate? Have they not been gaining access to the President concerning other issues? It’s a shame that Kanu is being punished for asking for the freedom of Ndigbo, and the leaders have abandoned him to die in DSS custody.”
He said that some people were profiting from his prolonged imprisonment, which is why politicians didn’t seem interested in pressing the President to get him out of jail.
Emmanuel added, “Why can’t they go for his release if they truly love the South East? Something is wrong somewhere. They are benefiting from his continued detention, and that’s why they are not making any serious moves to engage Mr President. Don’t forget that some people sponsored his abduction and extraordinary rendition.
“Why should he be abandoned for asking for the freedom of Biafra? He didn’t take up arms against the government, but he was tagged a terrorist. Yet the same government is busy releasing terrorists from detention.”
In reaction to Kanu’s prolonged imprisonment and the unrest in the Southeast, Emmanuel vowed to reveal those benefiting from it.
He said, “If they fail to act, Ndigbo and Biafrans at large must hold them responsible. And it may get to a point where the masses may no longer be held back.
“Nobody dies with any secret. Very soon, all those behind Kanu’s continued detention will be exposed. Those benefiting from the insecurity in the South-East are the ones enjoying his continued stay in detention. But nothing lasts forever. One day, they will be out of power.”
Emmanuel expressed his deep sadness at Judge Nyako’s denial of his bail request.
The trial judge’s decision to revoke Kanu’s bail should not have happened in the first place, according to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the case, which the family questioned if the judge had considered.
