The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has assured that the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, would soon regain his freedom.
The deputy speaker, who revealed that he has met with Kanu a couple of times in the Department of State Service (DSS) detention facility, said this while welcoming the recent call by about 50 members of the House of Representatives, led by Hon. Obi Aguocha, for Kanu’s release.
It will be recalled that the lawmakers, reportedly led by the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia South and North Federal Constituency of Abia, on Monday wrote an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appealing for the release of Kanu by invoking section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Kalu applauded the lawmakers spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country and the political parties for throwing their weight behind him on the appeals for Kanu’s freedom.
According to the deputy speaker, there are expectations that the South East caucus will also arise in unison soon to support the effort.
Recalling the impact of the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P), a social advocacy group he founded that promotes the idea of a non-kinetic approach in resolving the security challenges and other sociological issues in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Kalu said that the release of the IPoB leader was very crucial to the restoration of peace in the zone.
He said that a milestone has been recorded in his private engagements with the authorities on achieving a political solution in Kanu’s case.
The deputy speaker recalled that Hon. Aguocha accompanied him in one of those engagements with the decision-makers in the country on the issue.
Kalu, however, stated clearly that such high-profile security issues are not products of advertisement in the media, hence the need to keep them confidential in order not to jeopardise the gains so far.
In the last visit, two weeks before the court appearance, Kalu had discussed and obtained a firm assurance on the side of the IPoB leader on the need for sustainable peace in the region.
Notedly, that agreement has since been communicated to the delight of the authorities and Kanu’s younger brother as his family representative.
While thanking the lawmakers for their support, Kalu, who also represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, appealed to Ndi Igbo to remain calm and hopeful and avoid provocative comments on this issue in the light of the truism that the government of the day cannot be compelled either covertly or overtly.
He stressed that with diplomacy, a solution will be finalised.
Kalu also warned against making merchandise of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration for selfish economic gain which runs at variance with his wish, stressing that the IPoB leader should not be used as a political tool for any political capital.
