Obi Aguocha, the lawmaker representing Ikwuano, Umuahia North, and South federal constituency, paid a visit to the immediate past president, President Muhammadu Buhari to advocate for the release of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
During a visit to Buhari’s country home in Daura on Saturday, Aguocha extended an apology for Kanu’s actions, which have been a point of national contention.
“For the missteps, utterances, and ill gestures of the past, especially on the part of my constituent and brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I am deeply sorry,” Aguocha expressed.
This meeting follows a recent appeal on June 23 by about 50 members of the House of Representatives, who have called on President Bola Tinubu to facilitate Kanu’s release.
These legislators, under the banner of Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South-East, urged the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to utilize Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to secure Kanu’s release, highlighting a growing legislative push for a resolution to this longstanding issue.
In response, the former president appreciated Aguocha’s efforts and expressed his openness to a political solution for Kanu’s situation.
Buhari’s stance reflects a potential shift, considering his previous statement in January, where he described the extradition of Kanu to Nigeria to face trial as a “favour” by the federal government, which had other more severe options at its disposal.
Nnamdi Kanu, a central figure in the call for the secession of the Southeastern regions of Nigeria, was extradited to Nigeria in 2021 after he jumped bail and fled the country.
He was initially arraigned on charges including terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement. Since his extradition, Kanu has expressed a willingness to negotiate with the federal government, seeking a peaceful resolution to the issues raised by the IPOB movement.
