A senior lawmaker and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, has called for a political approach to resolving the ongoing legal issues surrounding the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, following his recent conviction for terrorism-related offences.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the senator, representing Abia North, emphasized that the matter requires careful political management in addition to the ongoing judicial processes. “The problem of Nnamdi Kanu is one we need to solve through a political process,” Kalu said, adding that he has been actively engaging with the Federal Government on the issue.
Kalu noted that while Kanu’s legal team is expected to challenge the Federal High Court’s ruling at the Appeal Court, he would also liaise with the Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi, to provide guidance to the President regarding the matter.
The lawmaker also highlighted the broader impact of IPOB activities in the South-East, citing job losses and security challenges, and lamented that many Igbo citizens have died due to violent incidents associated with the group.
Reflecting on past efforts, Kalu revealed that he personally applied pressure on then-President Muhammadu Buhari to secure Kanu’s release in April 2017, with the support of key officials including Mamman Daura and former Attorney General Abubakar Malami. “I know the pressure I personally put on President Buhari before he was released in April 2017. Nobody is talking about the Igbo who were killed,” he remarked.
Kanu, whose case has lingered since 2015, was sentenced last Thursday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court to life imprisonment on multiple counts of terrorism, along with varying terms on other charges. The judge affirmed that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, including evidence that Kanu ordered a sit-at-home directive in the South-East, constituting acts of terrorism. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
Despite the judgment, Aloy Ejimakor, a consultant to Kanu, has pledged to challenge the life sentence in the courts.
