Group urges FG to release Nnamdi Kanu as step toward peace in South East

A socio-cultural group, Igwebuike Alaigbo, has urged the Federal Government to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as a demonstration of its genuine commitment to restoring peace in the South East.

The call was made at the group’s three-day inaugural conference held at the Bishop Anthony Nwedo Pastoral Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, with stakeholders drawn from all seven Igbo-speaking states, including parts of Delta and Rivers.

In its 10-point communiqué signed by Archbishop Isaac Nwobia, convener of the conference, and other leaders, the group said the continued detention of Kanu has worsened insecurity and deepened distrust in the region. They maintained that his release would serve as “a vital step toward national cohesion and restoring Ndigbo’s confidence in the Federal Government.”

The group also called for the establishment of effective indigenous vigilante outfits to complement community policing in securing Igbo communities. Traditional rulers, they said, must “live above board and show unflinching commitment to the security of their people.”

Beyond security, the conference highlighted other pressing concerns, including youth unemployment, the decline of the Igbo language, and the need to revive the traditional apprenticeship system. It further urged Igbo leaders to prioritize unity, cultural preservation, and genuine empowerment of the younger generation.

The National President of the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), Lolo Nneka Chimezie, lamented that marginalisation and neglect had fueled youth agitation for self-determination. She appealed to governors in the region to support women with resources for mechanised farming, insisting that Igbo women “are resilient enough to feed the region if adequately empowered.”

Other speakers, including representatives of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo Think Tank, and Indigenous Igbo Congress, reaffirmed their commitment to unity, security, and cultural revival.

Archbishop Nwobia stressed that the movement was not about political opposition but about building synergy for Igbo development:

“If the Igbo nation is not secured, business cannot thrive. Government must create an enabling environment, starting with security and energy.”