- The Assembly further described his 2021 return from Kenya as a breach of due process
- They also recounted that Kanu had previously been arrested in 2015
- The legislators referenced Tinubu’s earlier exercise of presidential clemency
The Abia State House of Assembly has intensified calls for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, urging President Bola Tinubu to consider a political solution to end his prolonged detention.
Eko Hot Blog reports that lawmakers made the appeal through an official letter to the President after passing a resolution on November 10, stressing that keeping the IPOB leader in custody has become a major concern for the state and the South-East region.
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According to the House, Deputy Speaker Austin Meregini championed the motion, reminding the Federal Government that Section 174(c) of the Constitution gives the Attorney-General the authority to discontinue criminal proceedings when necessary.
The legislators referenced Tinubu’s earlier exercise of presidential clemency as proof that the administration is capable of taking decisions that promote reconciliation, noting that Kanu’s case deserves similar consideration.
They also recounted that Kanu had previously been arrested in 2015, held for years, granted bail, and later fled the country after a violent security operation at his residence—a development they said contributed to heightened tensions in the region.
The Assembly further described his 2021 return from Kenya as a breach of due process, insisting that a compassionate intervention from the President could help restore peace and rebuild trust in the South-East.
In a separate legal battle, Kanu has filed a N50 billion suit against the Nigerian Medical Association, accusing the body of producing a medical assessment that allegedly distorted his true health condition during his terrorism trial.
The case, filed by his lawyer Maxwell Opara, also demands that an independent panel of specialists—unconnected to the defendants—be commissioned to examine him properly.
The disputed report had previously influenced Justice James Omotosho’s decision to declare Kanu medically fit to continue his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu has remained in DSS custody since June 2021 over allegations that his broadcasts and directives contributed to violent incidents linked to the separatist movement he leads.
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