The family of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has slammed political leaders in the South-East for not meeting with President Bola Tinubu to get their son released.
The IPOB leader has been in custody since June 29, 2021.
His recent bail request was turned down by Justice Binta Nyako on Tuesday.
However, in a statement on Thursday on behalf of the family, Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel, questioned why Igbo political leaders had not met with Tinubu to address Kanu’s situation nearly a year since the president assumed office.
The statement partly read, “Why has no one among Igbo political leaders reached out to Tinubu to discuss Nnamdi Kanu’s release almost a year after he came to power?
“Is it not intentional? Have they not been gaining access to the President concerning other issues? It’s a shame that Kanu is being penalized for seeking the freedom of Ndigbo, and the leaders have deserted him to die in DSS custody.”
He alleged that some people were benefitting from his continued imprisonment, hence the apparent lack of interest on the part of the political elite to involve the President in his release.
Emmanuel added, “Why can’t they campaign for his release if they genuinely care about the South East? Something is wrong somewhere. They are gaining from his ongoing detention, and that’s why they are not making any serious efforts to approach Mr President. Don’t forget that some people sponsored his abduction and extraordinary rendition.
“Why should he be deserted for striving for the freedom of Biafra? He didn’t take up arms against the government, but he was labelled a terrorist. Yet the same government is busy releasing terrorists from custody.”
Emmanuel threatened to expose the beneficiaries of Kanu’s continued imprisonment and the insecurity in the Southeast region.
He said, “If they fail to act, Ndigbo and Biafrans at large must hold them responsible. And it may get to a point where the masses may no longer be held back.
“Nobody dies with any secret. Very soon, all those behind Kanu’s continued detention will be exposed. Those benefiting from the insecurity in the South-East are the ones enjoying his continued stay in detention. But nothing lasts forever. One day, they will be out of power.”
Emmanuel also expressed sadness over the refusal of Justice Nyako to grant him bail.
The family wondered if the trial Judge had taken time to go through the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgment on the matter which held that the Federal High Court ought not to have revoked Kanu’s bail in the first place.
