The governor of Abia, Alex Otti, says he has set in motion a structured plan designed to ensure the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), following his conviction and life sentence delivered by the federal high court in Abuja.
James Omotosho, the judge who presided over the case at the federal high court, on November 20 found Kanu guilty of terrorism-related charges and handed him a life sentence.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Otti explained that the effort to facilitate Kanu’s release had been established since the early phase of the trial.
The governor noted he was “happy to inform” the public that he had sustained work on the agreed approach until the goal is fully realised.
He mentioned that he had earlier visited Kanu in detention and briefed him on ongoing high-level discussions with “the highest authorities” in the country, which form part of the agreed political pathway.
“While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is free to appeal his conviction, I’m happy to inform you that I have activated and will continue to work on the already agreed strategy until his freedom is secured,” Otti stated.
“The poor management of the IPOB issue at the incubation stage created the problem we have today, hence we cannot allow it to linger and create a bigger monstrous situation for us.”
The governor cautioned politicians against taking advantage of Kanu’s circumstance, stressing that such conduct could jeopardise the ongoing efforts.
“May I caution politicians who have positioned themselves to play petty and dirty politics with the travails of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to jettison the idea, and rather work with us to secure his freedom,” Otti said.
He urged residents of Abia and the broader south-east region to remain calm and refrain from making remarks that could obstruct diplomatic conversations underway.
Otti added that he would maintain collaboration with stakeholders and concerned Nigerians to seek both political and diplomatic solutions with the federal government.
According to him, he has received assurances from the federal government that progress is being made and that Kanu is expected to regain his freedom in due course.
Meanwhile, Enyinnaya Abaribe, the senator representing Abia south, says the life sentence handed to Kanu did not come as a surprise.
Abaribe noted that the federal government’s refusal to grant amnesty to Kanu, unlike other groups, made the outcome unavoidable.