THE Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Afenifere in a communique issued on Tuesday after its general meeting in Isanya-Ogbo, the hometown of its leader, Ayo Adebanjo, and presided over by Deputy Leader Oba Oladipo Olaitan, expressed concerns that Kanu’s right to a fair trial might no longer be assured due to conflicting and controversial legal proceedings in various courts.
The communique, signed by Olaitan and the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Justice Faloye, stated that Kanu’s release would serve the interests of justice and national reconciliation.
Referring to Kanu as a political detainee, Afenifere argued that his continued detention without trial is unjustifiable.
“Since his abduction in 2021, subsequent repatriation to Nigeria, and exposure to controversial legal proceedings, it is evident to reasonable members of the public that Nnamdi Kanu is a political detainee,” the statement read.
“There is no valid justification for his continued detention without trial.”
The group also announced the appointment of Barrister Dele Farotimi as its National Organising Secretary, a decision approved during the meeting.
Additionally, Afenifere reaffirmed its call for the establishment of state police, emphasizing that Nigeria’s vast size, population, and federal structure cannot be effectively secured under a centralized policing system.
“A federation like Nigeria, with its large territory and population, requires a decentralized policing system,” the communique stated.
It also highlighted the challenges faced by state governors, citing the case of Oyo State’s governor, who recently raised concerns about bandit infiltration, despite being the state’s Chief Security Officer.