A foremost Igbo Professional Group, Igbo professional and economic development association (IPEDA) has joined voices of credible, eminent and well meaning Nigerians and organizations to ask for the immediate and unconditional release of detained Nnamdi Kanu.
Their call is hinged on equity, fairness, justice and rule of law putting into consideration several court judgements setting the embattled IPOB leader free.
It is also predicated on recent state pardon granted to all manner of criminals namely kidnappers, murderers, looters, treasonable felony offence convicts by President Tinubu.
In a press statement signed by the interim President-General of the association, Obinna Okafor went further to state that the release of Nnamdi Kanu will bring about total peace and tranquility in the South East region and even beyond.
Below is the full text of the the IPEDA statement for the release of Nnamdi Kanu;
We, Igbo Professionals and Economic Development Association (IPEDA), are calling for common sense and justice on the issue of continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
His continued incarceration – despite multiple court orders and appeals from well-meaning Nigerians, political leaders, and traditional rulers has become both a legal and moral scandal.
In the face of the government’s open negotiations with terrorists and violent criminals, the refusal to release Kanu reinforces the perception that the Southeast is treated under a different set of laws and standards. This sense of injustice continues to fuel anger, resentment, and insecurity.
The Federal Government must demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace and national healing by complying with court orders and releasing Nnamdi Kanu. His release would not only open the door to dialogue and reconciliation but also remove one of the key rallying points exploited by violent elements in the region.
History has shown that coercion does not resolve political conflicts – dialogue does. The amnesty programme in the Niger Delta, flawed as it was, proved that engagement and inclusion can end violence where force failed. The same approach is needed in the Southeast today.
A sincere political solution that addresses the root causes of exclusion and injustice – alongside accountability for human rights violations – is the only sustainable way to restore peace and rebuild trust between the government and the people.
The call becomes more imperative as the president just announced the granting of amnesty and forgiveness to over 82 convicted Nigerians some of them who committed heinous crimes against the country. If Nnamdi Kanu is included in this list of pardoned people it will be the most welcomed development in our quest for a peaceful and united country.
Many prominent Nigerians have been calling for the pardon and release of Nnamdi Kanu including former presidents like Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and former vice president Atiku Abubakar among others. All these well meaning Nigerians cannot be wrong at the same time in this issue of prolonged incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu.
In the final note the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu is unjust, unlawful, and counterproductive. It perpetuates a cycle of alienation and distrust that fuels the insecurity now ravaging the Southeast.
Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy governed by the rule of law while it chooses which court orders to obey and which region deserves justice.
Releasing Nnamdi Kanu is not a concession – it is a necessary step towards restoring justice, rebuilding peace, and reaffirming that all Nigerians, regardless of region, are equal before the law.
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