Biafra: Abia monarchs meet Arase, demand Kanu's freedom

Piqued by the continued detention of Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, traditional rulers from his home state of Abia have met with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, asking him to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to release him immediately.

The monarchs under the aegis of Umuahia North Council of Traditional Rulers, who interacted with Arase during a townhall meeting at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in the state capital, Umuahia at the weekend, said the refusal of the Federal Government to release Kanu against court orders was provocative and worrisome.
According to them, Kanu does not deserve the violation of his human rights as being done by the federal government since he has never taken up arms against the state, unlike the Boko Haram terror organisation.
The Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers and the traditional ruler of Oriendu autonomous community, Eze Philip Ajomuiwe, who spoke on behalf  of the monarchs, said that Kanu’s release would engender peace and stability in Nigeria.
He noted that the sustained protest across South East and some states in the South South zone occasioned by his arrest and detention would subside if he is freed.
The monarch said that the body language of the President towards pro-Biafran groups and agitators was disturbing, maintaining that there was need for the federal government to negotiate with the agitators with a view to addressing the root causes of the renewed agitation for Biafra.
The monarch enjoined Buhari to adopt political approach on Kanu’s matter and ensure his immediate release in the overall interest of the country, arguing that no sacrifice should be considered to much for the continued peace and stability of Nigeria.
In his response, the IGP promised to convey the message of the traditional rulers to President Buhari, who said had respect for the traditional institution.
The IG had earlier in his remarks, advocated a return to the traditional way of providing security in the villages during the pre-colonial era.
His words: “In Africa, we had traditional ways of policing our community but we failed to merge it with the modern form of policing. We have to go back to the basics”.
The IG maintained that the police alone could not effectively police the country without collaboration with the necessary stakeholders and members of the public.