About 50 members of the House of Representatives have written to President Bola Tinubu, appealing to him to order the release of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Some of those who signed the letter are Obi Aguocha (Abia); Ikenga Ugochinyere (Imo); Aliyu Mustapha (Kaduna); Midala Balami (Borno); Afam Ogene (Anambra); Abiante Awaji-Inombek (Rivers); Dominic Okafor (Anambra); Etanabene Benedict (Delta); Shehu Dalhatu (Katsina); Chinedu Emeka Martins (Imo); Matthew Nwogu (Imo); Muhammed Buba Jagere (Yobe); Peter Aniekwe (Anambra); Koki Sagir (Kano); Amobi Oga (Abia); Gwacham Chinwe (Anambra); Uchenna Okonkwo (Anambra); Abdulmaleek Danga (Kogi); and Osi Nkemkama (Ebonyi).
Others are Mark Useni (Taraba); Alexander Mascot (Abia); Philip Agbese (Benue); Ginger Onwusibe Obinna (Abia); and Zakari Nyampa (Adamawa); among others.
The legislators who identified themselves as Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South-East, asked the president to direct the attorney-general of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to invoke Section 174 of the 1999 constitution to release Kanu.
The section confers on the attorney-general of the federation the power to discontinue at any stage, before judgement is delivered, any such criminal proceedings instituted or undertaken by him or any other authority or person.
The legislators averred that the release of Kanu is a political solution that will end the rising insecurity in the south-east.
They said they were of the belief that Kanu’s release will also help in dismantling the apparatus of violence and restiveness that has plagued the region, and allow for a focus on economic growth and development.
“Also, it is coming at a time the nation-state is under enormous pressures, including but not limited to unemployment, insecurity, hunger and poverty, thereby deescalating tension from all sides,” they said.
The lawmakers said Omoyele Sowore and Sunday Igboho, who were accused of treason felony, got their charges dropped by the federal government, and they expect the same treatment to be extended to Kanu.
