In a bid to address the escalating tensions in the Southeast region, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has made a heartfelt plea to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to facilitate the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The appeal follows the recent denial of Kanu’s bail application by a Federal High Court in Abuja, intensifying concerns about peace and stability in the area.
The President of the CBCN, Most Reverend Lucius Ugorji, delivered the impassioned request during the episcopal ordination of the Auxiliary Bishop of Orlu Diocese in Imo State on Wednesday.
Ugorji emphasized the pivotal role of Kanu’s release in fostering economic prosperity and security in the Southeast, highlighting the detrimental effects of his continued detention on the region’s stability. Pointing to the significant impact of Kanu’s incarceration, Ugorji underscored its correlation with the prevailing insecurity in the South-East.
He lamented the adverse economic ramifications, citing the disruption caused by the recurrent Monday sit-at-home protests, which have led to substantial financial losses for businesses in the region.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja’s denial of bail to Kanu has further exacerbated tensions, prompting renewed calls for his release. Despite the court’s order for an accelerated case hearing, stakeholders remain apprehensive about the prolonged detention’s implications for peace and stability.
Kanu has been held in the Department of State Services (DSS) custody since his arrest in June 2021.
Against mounting security threats and socio-economic challenges, his release has emerged as a critical issue with far-reaching implications for national unity.
Osondu Nwachukwu
