By Abigail Philip David
An inter-religious group, the Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission, has condemned the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, calling it a “demonic scheme” against the Igbo people.
In a statement signed by the group’s President/Coordinator, Rev. Tony Uzo Anthony, and General Secretary, Apostle Tony Osuji, the clerics accused South-East governors of conspiring to keep Kanu imprisoned for political reasons. The group urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, pressure groups, and the global community to speak out against what they described as an injustice.
The statement reads, “We are deeply concerned about the new developments in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, especially since the presiding judge has refused to follow a Supreme Court ruling. While Kanu remains illegally detained, others who committed greater crimes have been released.
“Shockingly, this same judge, who once recused herself, had told Sam Amadi over two years ago that the charges against Kanu were politically motivated and without merit. Knowing this, why has she chosen to confront him with such severity?”
The clerics believe that South-East governors are playing a role in Kanu’s prolonged detention for their own political gain. They accused the governors of scheming to keep Kanu in jail until the next election, claiming that his eventual release would be used to sway votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the South-East and South-South regions.
“We publicly accuse the South-East governors of conspiring to detain our son, Kanu, until next year, with plans to release him as part of a strategy to secure support for President Tinubu in the South-East and South-South,” the statement added.
The group appealed to the diaspora Igbo community to take action by engaging the governments of Kenya, Britain, and Nigeria, as well as South-East governors, to demand Kanu’s release. They also called on local leaders to reject the alleged conspiracy.
“It seems those who do not want peace are the South-East governors, who are benefiting from the current security situation. If peace is the goal, like Kanu has expressed, why don’t they visit him, talk to him, and find a lasting solution to the instability in the region?” the clerics asked.
The statement concluded with a warning: “We call on our friends in Nigeria, traditional rulers, religious leaders, pressure groups, and the global community to condemn this evil plan against Ndi Igbo. Whatever happens to Kanu, the responsibility will lie with those involved.”
