Dozens of Igbo elders stormed the Abia Government House in Umuahia to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
They argued that Kanu’s continued detention, worsening health condition, and the growing insecurity in the South East made his release urgent, stressing that his freedom would help restore calm in the region.
Led by Chief Chukwuemeka Ezebuiro and Chief Chinedu Obilor, the elders, who came from different states in the South East, converged at the main entrance of the Abia State Government House in Umuahia, where they submitted a formal appeal to Governor Alex Otti.
Receiving the group on behalf of Otti on Wednesday, Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kalu, alongside Chief of Staff, Caleb Ajagba, commended the elders for their peaceful conduct and assured them that their demands would be forwarded to the federal government.
The call adds to earlier appeals by Igbo leaders and groups, including the United Igbo Elders Council, which recently urged President Bola Tinubu to secure Kanu’s release as a step toward restoring peace in the South East.
Kanu, who has been in detention on charges of conspiracy and membership in an unlawful group, remains a divisive figure in Nigeria’s political and security landscape, with his case attracting both national and international attention.
