The House of Representatives has urged President Bola Tinubu to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from detention without any conditions. The House said this would help restore peace and security in the Southeast region, which has been plagued by violence and unrest.

The House made this appeal through its Ad-hoc Committee on the Reduction of Kidnapping, Assassinations and Banditry in Isiukwuato and Umunnochi Local Government Areas of Abia State. The committee, chaired by Rep. Obinna Aguocha, met with security agencies on Wednesday to discuss the security situation in the affected areas.

Aguocha said the government should respect the rule of law, justice and equitable inclusion of the Southeast zone in the project Nigeria. He said the release of Kanu, who is facing charges of treason and terrorism, would be a gesture of goodwill that would calm the nerves of his supporters and end the unproductive sit-at-home order imposed by IPOB.

He said: “As we navigate the complexities of security concerns, we must also be prepared to tackle the root causes of these issues at their core and work to ensure lasting solutions that would stand the test of time.

“For absolute peace, reduction of crime and criminality, investment in meaningful infrastructure development, ending the unproductive sit-at-home and improving economic growth and opportunities in the Southeast, starts with the government’s recognition of the rule of law, justice, and equitable inclusion of the Southeast zone in the project Nigeria and the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from unlawful detention to ensure lasting peace and security in the entire region.”

He also called for interstate collaboration among the states that share borders with Abia, namely Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Anambra. He said this would foster regional participation and cooperation in tackling the security challenges.

He said: “The cross-border dynamics of the Primary Focus Areas bring additional complexity to the challenges of the task ahead. The common borders, shared with four other states, connect the primary focus areas to Ebonyi State via Isiagu, Enugu State via Agwu, Imo state via Okigwe and Anambra via Awka.

“The opportunity for interstate collaboration presents itself and must be explored to foster regional participation. The challenges faced by one state ripple across its neighbors, and therefore, our strategies for resolution must be all inclusive.”

He expressed optimism that the interface with security agencies would provide an opportunity to harness diverse perspectives and channel them into coherent and actionable strategies for peace and security.

Sources: Leadership News, Politics Nigeria, Legit

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