Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant amnesty to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, preferably on or before Nigeria’s Democracy Day, June 12, 2026.
The group described the move as a strategic step towards national reconciliation, healing long-standing grievances in the Southeast, and fostering greater unity in the country.
In a press statement signed by factional Deputy President-General Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and National Spokesman Chief Thompson Ohia, Ohanaeze argued that Kanu’s continued detention has been misunderstood and politicised.The organisation clarified that Kanu’s agitation is better aligned with the “Biafra of the Mind” philosophy championed by late Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
This concept, according to Ohanaeze, emphasises self-determination through dialogue, socio-political equity, and consciousness within a united Nigeria, rather than outright secession.Ohanaeze traced Kanu’s activism to his early days under Ralph Uwazuruike’s Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), noting that it initially focused on non-violent advocacy and public enlightenment.
The group admitted that security challenges and political tensions later influenced a shift in approach, which many have misinterpreted.The Igbo leaders dismissed concerns that releasing Kanu could destabilise the nation or harm President Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election. Instead, they maintained that such a gesture would boost the President’s popularity in the Southeast and project him as a leader committed to justice and inclusion.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo believes that granting amnesty to Nnamdi Kanu will open a new chapter of trust, unity, and cooperative nation-building,” the statement concluded.The group also accused prominent opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of using Kanu’s prolonged detention as a political weapon to court Igbo votes ahead of 2027.
While commending the Tinubu administration for ongoing infrastructure projects in the Southeast, particularly the rehabilitation of major federal roads, Ohanaeze stressed that freeing Kanu would carry far greater symbolic weight.
The organisation expressed confidence that, if released, Kanu would be handed over to reputable Igbo leaders and would engage constructively in national dialogue rather than resort to conflict.
This latest call adds to previous appeals by Ohanaeze and other Igbo groups for the release of the IPOB leader, who has been in detention since his rearrest in 2021. His trial has faced multiple delays amid legal battles and allegations of rights violations.
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