‘Grant Kanu a speedy trial or release him,’ Soludo tells Nigerian govt

The Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, on Sunday charged the Federal Government to fast-track the trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, or release him.

Soludo, who stated this in a programme on Channels Television, blamed the current unrest in the South-East on the continued incarceration of Kanu by the federal government.

The activist, who was brought back to the country on June 27 last year, is standing trial for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

IPOB had in August 2021 ordered a sit-at-home in the South-East in a bid to force the government to release its detained leader.

The governor said: “Let me be clear. The sit-at-home order was because of Nnamdi Kanu. He is a factor, to be realistic. I don’t speak without facts. Every organized group in the South- East needs to be carried along in the conversation, because his detention affects a lot of things.

READ ALSO: Soludo calls for dialogue with IPOB, to establish truth commission

“Therefore, in the conversation about peace and stability in the region, you can’t afford to disregard Nnamdi Kanu as an important factor. Any person saying otherwise must be living on the moon. As part of getting down into the fundamental issue, we must consider him as the major factor.”

He stressed that the public needs to know the charges for which the IPOB was arraigned by the government, adding that many people are oblivious of the reasons behind his continued detention.

Soludo added: “As part of the total resolution of the matter, charge him to court, press charges and he will be defended. This is the rule of law. I am one of those who don’t understand what the charges are.

“We need to know. The public deserves to know what he is being charged for and so on. It is just common sense. As they say, justice delayed is justice denied.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now