Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has expressed strong believe that President Bola Tinubu will release Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
While speaking on Tuesday during the 13th memorial anniversary of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in Owerri, Bianca stressed that Kanu’s release is important in identifying and isolating criminal elements exploiting his detention to orchestrate violence in the South-East.
“The release of Nnamdi Kanu is paramount to separating genuine freedom fighters from criminals causing mayhem in the Southeast. Our people face existential threats, and we must act to restore peace,” she said.
She noted that addressing the underlying grievances and restoring trust between the government and the people of the region would be paramount for national unity.
Mrs Ojukwu called on stakeholders to support dialogue and reconciliation efforts aimed at resolving the issues affecting the Southeast.
She said, “I believe President Tinubu understands the importance of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Doing so will not only address longstanding grievances but also expose those criminal elements who have exploited his detention to commit atrocities in the region.”
While delivering her speech on the theme “Unifying the Igbo Race,” Bianca Ojukwu called for an end to the violence tearing the Southeast, emphasizing that the Igbo people are not known for harming their own.
She stressed the need for collective action to reclaim the region from criminality and insecurity.
“The release of Nnamdi Kanu is paramount to separating genuine freedom fighters from criminals causing mayhem in the Southeast. Our people face existential threats, and we must act to restore peace,” she said.
She lamented that, years after demise of Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Southeast has become a region marked by violence and insecurity, forcing many to flee their homes.
“Communities are empty. Our illustrious sons and daughters have fled. Kidnappers now abduct their brothers for ransom. This is not what Dim Ojukwu fought for,” she said.
However, Bianca underscored the need for President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, noting that his freedom would help identify those criminals hiding under IPOB to wreak havoc.
“President Tinubu understands the importance of Kanu’s release. It will expose the masqueraders behind the violence and help restore order. I will do whatever it takes to ensure His Excellency grants this request,” she stated.
She also decried the imposition of violent “sit-at-home” orders in the Southeast, which she said contradict the ideals of self-determination and have stifled economic activities in the region.
“Ndigbo are enterprising and their brother’s keepers. We must reclaim our land and continue to propagate the ideals for which Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu stood.”
