Release Kanu Now, Abia Traditional Rulers Charge Buhari

 

Release Kanu Now, Abia Traditional Rulers Charge Buhari

As the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, continues to rot in detention, traditional rulers in Abia State today called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give the activist his freedom, warning that his continued detention is undermining peace and security in the land.

The royal fathers who stated this during a town hall meeting with the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Solomon Arase, who was on a working visit to the state during which he received 20 patrol cars donated to the state police command by the state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, told Buhari to free him for peace to reign.

Eze Phillip Ajomiwe who spoke on behalf of the state Council of Traditional Rulers, told the IG that he should convey their message to the president that Abia royal fathers want the detained pro-Biafra activist released unconditionally in order to promote peace and security in the land. 

"Tell the president to release our son, Nnamdi Kanu," he said, adding that President Buhari has not properly addressed the issue of IPOB and the Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

The pro-Biafra groups have been staging protests across South-east and South-south over the detention of the director of Radio Biafra thereby disturbing the peace and economic activities of the zones with the resultant casualties on members of the pro-Biafra agitators allegedly gunned down by security agencies.

Eze Ajomiwe, who is also the Chairman of Umuahia North Council of Traditional Rulers, said the royal fathers were very supportive of the president’s war against corruption but he should not overlook the nagging issue of Kanu and his group in order not to compound the security problems of the nation. 

He pledged the commitment of the traditional rulers to ensuring peace in their domains and asked that security votes be given to the royal fathers to help them effectively maintain peace in the communities.

The traditional ruler also made case for adequate funding and equipping of the nation’s police force, noting that no one could catch an armed robber with bare hands, and that patrol vans and modern arms should be provided for the police.

In his response, the police boss assured the royal fathers that he would take their message to the president.  He told the gathering that included various civil society and professional groups as well as labour unions that he was pushing for the return to the traditional methods of maintaining peace and security in the communities.

"In Africa, we had traditional ways of policing our community but we failed to merge it with the modern form of policing. We have to go back to the basics," the IG said.