Kalu joins Clark, South-East monarchs in appeal for Kanu’s release

The former Abia State governor, Orji Kalu, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to release the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Kalu, who made the call in a video he posted on his Twitter handle, also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to pursue a political solution with the judgment of the Court of Appeal that discharged the activist of all treasonable felony charges.

A three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Hanatu Sankey upheld Kanu’s appeal and discharged him of all the charges filed against him by the federal government last year.

The court also noted that the government violated international conventions and treaties on the IPOB leader’s extradition from Kenya.

However, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, declared a few hours later that the activist had not been acquitted by the appellate court.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Umar Gwandu, the AGF stressed that the court’s judgment only focused on Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from the East African nation.

READ ALSO: South-East monarchs urge Buhari to release Kanu

A former federal commissioner for information, Chief Edwin Clark and the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers had earlier in the week appealed to President Buhari to release the IPOB leader following his discharge on all the criminal charges by the appeal court.

Kalu, who spoke on the matter, said: “The federal government of Nigeria should take advantage of the court of appeal judgment.

“Since they are courts of records and courts of competent jurisdiction, I appeal to President Buhari, the attorney-general of the federation, to see reason if we can build on political solution through this judgment.

“Most times I’ve gone to the station to see Nnamdi Kanu and discuss with him deeply and I want the federal government to try this option of using the judgment of court of appeal for political solution in releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and we will be able to see how far the political solution will go with us.

“I thank President Buhari, who is the father of the nation. I thank the attorney general for the usual counsel and he would see reason with us.”

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