President Bola Tinubu has been urged by the Yoruba sociocultural organisation Afenifere to free Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra who is currently in detention, immediately.
Afenifere referred to Kanu as a political prisoner and urged the President to act quickly, saying that the incarceration was unwarranted.
Following a meeting at the home of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, in Isanya Ogbo, the association issued a statement signed by its deputy leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, making this request.
“From all circumstances, particularly since his abduction in 2021 and rendition to Nigeria and since then subjected to controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in different courts by which his fair trial may no longer be guaranteed in the opinion of reasonable members of the public, it is obvious that Nnamdi Kanu is unquestionably a political detainee.
“In the interest of justice and national reconciliation, Afenifere urges President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu forthwith. There is no justifiable reason to continue to keep him in detention without trial,” the communiqué stated.
Additionally, the group declared Barr Dele Farotimi as its new National Organizing Secretary.
The organisation also bemoaned in the communiqué that the level of insecurity was still as high as it had been during the previous administration.In order to guarantee true protection of lives and property, the group urged the President to adopt decisive, optimistic, and ideological actions.
The Afenifere reaffirmed its call for reform, citing Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent warning of a bandit invasion.
“Nigeria, with its vast territory, population and as a federation, cannot be effectively and meaningfully secured with a single command unitary police structure, thus the need for the restructuring to ensure immediate constitutional institutionalization of state police,” the communiqué read.
Deputy Leader Oba Oladipo Olaitan presided over a meeting attended by representatives from the six South West, Kogi, and Kwara states, including former Lagos State Deputy Governor Senator Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele, Secretary General Chief Sola Ebiseni, Chief Akin Osuntokun, Professor Akin Onigbinde, Elder Tola Mobolurin, Dr. Gbola Adetuji, Olorogun Pop Ayo-Banjo, and the National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye.