Jude Emeka Idimogu, a former lawmaker in Lagos State and current Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in the Lagos APC, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant clemency to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Kanu has been in detention since his arrest and extradition from Kenya in June 2021, amid ongoing security concerns in the Southeast region.
In his public appeal, Idimogu emphasized that a presidential pardon for Kanu could significantly reduce insecurity and tension in the region. He noted that the release could help revive the local economy, which has been negatively affected by unrest and IPOB’s periodic sit-at-home orders. Idimogu also pointed out that miscreants have often exploited Kanu’s name to incite violence, further destabilizing communities in the Southeast.
Idimogu urged well-meaning Nigerians, including Igbo leaders and Southeast governors, to collectively appeal to President Tinubu for Kanu’s release. He suggested that such a move would not only stabilize the region but could also strengthen the ruling APC’s political prospects in the Southeast ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The appeal comes amid ongoing legal proceedings against Kanu, who faces terrorism-related charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The government has previously resisted calls for his release, citing national security concerns and the potential implications of his earlier acquittal by the Court of Appeal.
