The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
Kalu made the request during his speech at the first meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on the South-East Development Commission, which took place at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday.
A statement released on Thursday by Kalu’s Special Assistant on Print Affairs, Udora Orizu, cited the Deputy Speaker’s praise for President Tinubu’s ongoing support for peace, development, and stability in the South-East.
Kalu also acknowledged the President’s dedication to the region, highlighting his swift approval of the South-East Development Commission Bill—an initiative that had previously stalled in earlier Assemblies.
Advocating the adoption of a political solution against the legal approach to release Kanu, the Deputy Speaker said the people of the South-East would be eternally grateful to the President if the IPOB leader was freed.
“Those who are using Nnamdi Kanu as an excuse to perpetrate all these criminal actions around our area will have no other reason to be on the street.
“Then the police and security agencies will catch anyone who claims Nnamdi Kanu is the reason for causing harm to the people of the South-East.
“So, we are begging, you can’t coarse the President, he’s the Commander-in-Chief. All we are saying is ‘use the political approach, not the legal approach.’
“We are appealing to him to temper justice with mercy and release Nnamdi Kanu to the South-East people. It will ensure more security for our people and spring up development that this SEDC is going to bring,” he said.
Kalu lamented the insecurity in the region, adding “You can’t have development in the midst of insecurity.”
Speaking on the SEDC, Kalu said, “Only President Bola Tinubu was able to put his feet down and say that the South East remains parts and parcel of Nigeria.
“It failed in previous Assemblies but when it got to him, he assented to it. We are very happy because we know that certain areas of our problems in the region will be prioritised, such as agriculture, energy, power, infrastructure, and technology.”
Kalu called for the government’s support in projecting the innovative-mindedness of the youth in the region, for the benefit of the federation.