A group of approximately 50 members of the House of Representatives from across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones have called on President Bola Tinubu to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Operating under the aegis of the Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South-East, these representatives have urged President Tinubu to invoke Section 174 of the Nigerian Constitution (1999, as amended) and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015). Their request was formalized in a letter dated June 19, 2024.
The bipartisan group includes signatories such as Obi Aguocha (Abia), Ikenga Ugochinyere (Imo), Afam Ogene (Anambra), Muhammed Jajere (Yobe), Aliyu Mustapha (Kaduna), Midala Balami (Borno), and Abiante Awaji-Inombek (Rivers). Other notable signatories are Dominic Okafor (Anambra), Etanabene Benedict (Delta), Abdulmaleek Danga (Kogi), Shehu Dalhatu (Katsina), Chinedu Martins (Imo), Matthew Nwogu (Imo), Peter Aniekwe (Anambra), Koki Sagir (Kano), and Amobi Oga (Abia).
Last week, Nnamdi Kanu expressed a desire to resolve the treason charges filed against him by the Federal Government through an out-of-court settlement. He also denounced the violence in the South-East linked to IPOB’s separatist agitations.
In their letter, the lawmakers urged President Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to utilize his powers of nolle prosequi under Section 174(1) of the Constitution and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and facilitate Kanu’s release from detention.
The lawmakers referenced a similar gesture extended by the President to activist Omoyele Sowore, who was charged with treasonable felony, as a precedent.
“We, the undersigned, beseech Your Excellency to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to invoke his powers of nolle prosequi under the provisions of Section 174(1) of the Constitution and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and cause the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention and discontinue his trial,” the letter stated.
They emphasized that this action would open the door for vital conversations about peace, reform, and inclusivity, particularly amid ongoing constitutional reforms. The lawmakers believe that releasing Kanu could serve as a pivotal gesture towards national unity and address political, security, and economic concerns in the South-East.
“This act would encourage stakeholders from the South-East to engage more actively in national discussions, thereby promoting inclusivity and addressing long-standing grievances. It would also help dismantle the apparatus of violence and restiveness that has plagued the region, allowing for a focus on economic growth and development,” the letter concluded.
