A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State, Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume (SAN), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in response to calls from respected national figures.
In a letter dated February 24, 2025, titled “Healing the Wounds in Our Nation-Building Efforts and Marching Nigeria Towards a New Stable Nation: Hence This Passionate Plea for the Urgent Release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Machukwu-Ume urged the president to reflect on the appeals made by late statesmen from the South, including Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Mbazurike Amaechi, Prof. George Achulike Obiozor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
“These leaders, during their lifetime, advocated for peace, unity, and national reconciliation, emphasizing the need for Kanu’s release. Their voices, though now silent, remain an enduring call for statesmanship and fairness,” he stated.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) emphasized that a sustainable and united Nigeria requires the inclusion of all ethnic groups in governance, cautioning against any form of ethnic dominance.
He also highlighted the dire security situation in the South East, which he attributed to Kanu’s prolonged detention, citing the rise of non-state actors exploiting the crisis to destabilize the region.
Machukwu-Ume noted that the continuous violence, including the aftermath of the Owerri jailbreak and the destructive Monday sit-at-home protests—disowned by Kanu—has severely harmed the South East economy.
He urged President Tinubu to prioritize national unity by addressing this pressing issue.
