Senate rejects motion to release Nnamdi Kanu

An attempt by the Senate to have Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, released from custody has been rejected.

The motion, put forth by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West), sought to address the South-East’s ongoing sit-at-home order, which is frequently enforced by unidentified gunmen.

The lawmaker stated that the senators were aware that thousands of innocent people had died since the action began and that properties worth more than a trillion dollars had been destroyed, which had caused investors to flee the area, in the motion co-sponsored by other lawmakers from the South-East.

He declared, “The South-East’s sit-at-home civil disobedience actions have resulted in the disruption/destruction of economic activities and immeasurable financial losses for businesses, workers, and the local economy. Because productivity and income fall when people are compelled to stay at home and businesses are kept closed, this has an impact on people’s livelihoods and the expansion of the economy.

“The “sit-at-home” demonstrations interfere with students’ education, causing missed classes and delays in academic progress. Disturbed that the disruption of vital public services, like healthcare, transportation, and waste disposal, continues to have a serious impact during “sit-at-home” protests and negatively affects the well-being and safety of the general population living in the South-East. And such protracted disruptions have long-term effects on students’ learning outcomes and educational development.

A sit-at-home order was issued by IPOB in August 2021 for every Monday in the South-East to protest Kanu’s ongoing detention. The separatist group ultimately revoked the directive.

Even though the IPOB faction led by Kanu has suspended the exercise, Simon Ekpa, the leader of a faction, has continued to issue sit-at-home orders in the area.

Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, and Anambra residents have frequently been killed, injured, and attacked by gunmen enforcing the civil order for leaving their homes on Mondays and other days in violation of the order.