The family of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has criticized South East Governors for not doing enough to secure his freedom.
During a memorial event in Umuahia for their late parents, HRM Eze Israel and Ugoeze Sally Kanu, Prince Emmanuel Kanu expressed disappointment in the governors. He claimed they had not shown real commitment to Kanu’s release.
Prince Emmanuel questioned why the governors had not followed the conditions set by President Bola Tinubu regarding Kanu’s case. He argued that if they were serious, they would have officially met with the President.
“The South East Governors are not doing enough. Either they are complicit or afraid of something. The question is, why haven’t they met the President about Nnamdi Kanu? We have information that the President asked them to meet him, but they have not done so,” he said.
He also suggested that Kanu’s release would bring peace to the South East, as it would expose those using the agitation for personal gains.
Kanu’s family criticized Justice Binta Nyako for indefinitely adjourning his trial, stating she had previously recused herself from the case.
They accused her of bias and questioned why she refused requests to move Kanu from the DSS detention facility to prison custody.
The family called on the international community to intervene and push for Kanu’s release, insisting he had committed no crime.
Prince Emmanuel thanked Biafran elders and supporters who gathered to mark the fifth anniversary of his parents’ passing.
He said they died from the trauma of the military invasion of their home on September 14, 2017, which led to the deaths of 28 people.
The day, February 14, has now been renamed “Saint Kanu’s Day” in their honor. The event drew people from across the South East and other regions, showing solidarity with the family.
High Chief Agonsi Ebere, leader of Biafran elders, urged the Federal Government to release Kanu, stating that his continued detention would not help Nigeria. He appealed to President Tinubu to free him and restore peace in the South East.
Aniekan Ekanem, leader of the Akwa Ibom branch of the group, emphasized that Biafra is not just an Igbo movement but involves all people of the old Eastern region.
He pointed out that Akwa Ibom shares cultural and historical ties with the Igbo, with common names and traditions.
The event saw participation from elders across Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and the five South Eastern states, all calling for Kanu’s release and a peaceful resolution to the agitation.
