Under the auspices of the Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South-East, fifty members of the House of Representatives representing the six geopolitical zones of the nation have written to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, pleading with him to invoke Section 174 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, in order to free Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, from the Department of State Services’ custody.
The lawmakers, who were elected on the platforms of various political parties, wrote to President Tinubu on June 19, 2024, asking him to start a peace initiative to address the region’s security concerns.
Some of the signatories of the three-page letter include Obi Aguocha (Abia), Ikenga Ugochinyere (Imo), Afam Ogene (Anambra), Muhammed Jajere (Yobe), Aliyu Mustapha (Kaduna), Midala Balami (Borno), and Abiante Awaji-Inombek (Rivers).
Others are Dominic Okafor (Anambra), Etanabene Benedict (Delta), Abdulmaleek Danga (Kogi), Shehu Dalhatu (Katsina), Chinedu Martins (Imo), Matthew Nwogu (Imo), Peter Aniekwe (Anambra), Koki Sagir (Kano) and Amobi Oga (Abia) among others.
The IPOB leader had last week expressed his desire to have the treason charges filed against him by the Federal Government settled out of court.
He also denounced the killings in the South-East resulting from IPOB agitation for the separation of Igbo from Nigeria.
The lawmakers, in their letter, urged President Tinubu to mandate the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi to invoke his powers of nolle prosequi under the provisions of Section 174(1) of the Constitution and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and cause the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention and discontinue his trial.
They recalled that the President extended this gesture through the office of the Attorney General to activist Omoyele Sowore, who was charged with treasonable felony.
“Your Excellency, we are concerned members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a strong belief and trust that the Renewed Hope Agenda and the various positive reforms would be seen and felt by all. It is against this backdrop that we, the undersigned, hereby beseech Your Excellency to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to invoke his powers of nolle prosequi under the provisions of Section 174(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and cause the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention and discontinue his trial.
“We collectively believe this is long overdue and would be instrumental in opening the door for much-needed conversations surrounding peace reformation and inclusivity, as well as addressing the issues that led to the agitations, especially at this time when Nigeria is going through several constitutional reforms.
“Your Excellency, we resolutely believe that this singular act can serve as a pivotal gesture towards national unity, as it would address some of the political, security, and economic concerns in the region. It would encourage stakeholders from the South-East to engage more actively in the national discussions on the renewed hope agenda, thereby promoting inclusivity and addressing long-standing grievances.
“This, we believe, will also help dismantle the apparatus of violence and restiveness that has plagued the region, allowing for a focus on economic growth and development. This comes at a time when the nation-state is under enormous pressure, including but not limited to unemployment, insecurity, hunger, and poverty, thereby de-escalating tension from all sides.”
