The Abia State House of Assembly has formally written to President Bola Tinubu to appeal for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The appeal follows a resolution passed by the House on November 10, describing Kanu’s prolonged detention as a matter of urgent public importance.
The resolution, moved on the floor of the House by Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini, Deputy Speaker and representative of Umuahia East State Constituency, urged President Tinubu to invoke Section 174(c) of the Constitution, which empowers the Attorney-General of the Federation to enter a nolle prosequi and terminate criminal proceedings before judgment is delivered.
The House also cited recent presidential pardons granted by President Tinubu as precedent for compassionate intervention.
In the open letter to the President, the 24-member House highlighted Kanu’s detention history, noting that he was first arrested in 2015 and detained for over two years before being granted bail.
Kanu later fled Nigeria following a military operation at his home, which reportedly resulted in multiple deaths. In 2021, he was transferred from Kenya to Nigeria, an act the House described as a violation of his human rights and international law.
The house expressed concern over the economic and social disruption in the South-East, particularly citing the continued “Monday Sit-at-Home” exercises, which they linked to Kanu’s detention.
The House noted that the prolonged confinement has caused severe hardship and undermined the socio-economic development of the region.
The letter appeals to President Tinubu to consider Kanu’s release as a gesture of goodwill, stressing that it could contribute to peace, stability, and national reconciliation in the South-East.
The House described the release as a constructive political measure that aligns with the President’s vision for a united and prosperous Nigeria.
The open letter was signed by Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, Speaker of the House; Rt. Hon. Augustine Okezie, Deputy Speaker; Honourable Uchenna Okoro, Majority Leader; and other principal officers, along with all 24 members of the Assembly.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 7, fixed November 20 for judgment in Kanu’s terrorism case.
Justice James Omotosho announced the date after Kanu failed to open his defence, despite being granted six days by the court to do so.
The judge held that since Kanu did not take advantage of the opportunity to present his defence, he could not claim a denial of his constitutional right to a fair hearing.
He had earlier filed a motion challenging his trial on the grounds that terrorism was no longer an offence under Nigerian law.
According to him, the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, under which he was charged, had been repealed, leaving the charges against him without legal basis.
He therefore urged the court to dismiss the case entirely and order his immediate release.
The Federal Government, however, insists that Kanu must face trial for his alleged role in acts of terrorism and incitement linked to the proscribed IPOB movement.
Meanwhile, Kanu on November 10 filed a motion before the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking to halt the delivery of the November 20 judgment.
In the motion on notice, Kanu, who appeared in person, urged the court to “arrest the delivery of judgment” in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, arguing that the proceedings were conducted under a repealed law and in violation of a subsisting order of the Supreme Court.
He contended that the trial contravened Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates all courts and authorities to comply with decisions of the Supreme Court.
Kanu maintained that the apex court had earlier held that Count 15, now renumbered as Count 7, in his charge “does not exist in law,” but the trial court failed to give effect to that finding.
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