Nnamdi Kanu’s Release Will Restore Peace in the South-East — Ned Nwoko

 

Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, has stated that lasting peace has eluded the South-East region due to years of perceived injustice and marginalisation by successive Nigerian governments.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on October 26, Nwoko said the Federal Government could restore calm to the region by addressing two critical issues — the creation of Anioma State and the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

“The root of the South-East problem lies in the long-standing sense of injustice by successive governments,” Nwoko said.

“To achieve peace, two things must be done: create a new state to make the region six in number and release Nnamdi Kanu. Once these are done, I am confident peace will return to the South-East.”

The lawmaker, who is spearheading the push for the creation of Anioma State from the present Delta State, argued that the uneven distribution of states across Nigeria’s regions fuels both political and economic inequality.

He also asserted that Kanu’s continued detention has aggravated tensions and deepened discontent in the region.

“Nnamdi Kanu is being held unjustly, and his imprisonment remains the major cause of the unrest in the South-East,” he said.

Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021, is facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Nwoko noted that several political and traditional leaders have consistently called for Kanu’s release through a political resolution. On Anioma State, he expressed optimism about its approval, revealing that the proposal has gained significant support in the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly has already set up a committee to determine which state should be created from the South-East. There are about seven proposals, and Anioma is one of them. We presented our case at the public hearing in Enugu, and I am confident we will be selected,” he added.