Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu has disclosed that plans are in motion to ensure the release of Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
The Supreme Court recently struck out an appeal by Kanu, to quash his terrorism charges and for the Department of State Services to release him.
But speaking virtually on the “South East political Roundtable”, a current affairs radio programme on FLO FM in Umuahia on Tuesday, Kalu said that talks were ongoing to free Kanu.
He, however, advised the youth to ensure that the observance of sit-at-home must stop, emphasizing that it was scaring many investors who want to contribute to the development of the region.
Kalu said: “We can’t put all our programs and plans on social media. He’s my brother. Is he in the mix of what we are trying to do? Yes! It’s one of our agenda to ensure he’s released. Who wants their brother to be in jail?
“We are working underground. There’s a detailed strategy. It’s not by violence, you can’t coerce the government through violence. It has never worked and won’t work. Let’s be wiser. The wisdom is in peace. Let’s quench the violence.
“If it’s chaotic, it won’t work. Let’s cool down. Let the man see that you’ve recognised he didn’t contribute to locking him up and that he has not done anything to the South-East.
“We should support him and his government and not attack him. I’m standing firmly against the voice of violence, preaching peace. That is what I’m here for, this voice of peace will echo through the Villa and he will come out. Mr President was happy with what happened in Bende, that the whole country can gather together and support this project.
“Our strength does not lie in how many guns we carry, or how many people we threaten not to come out on Monday, that is not the display of the strength of an Igbo man.
“Igbo men are not lazy people who like sitting at home from Saturday to Sunday to Monday and go to work only Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, that is not us; we are hard working, we are rebuilders, we are never down and when we are down, we find a way to stand on our feet and raise our shoulders and rebuild again, that is my call to our people.
“We can bring you into the rebuilding that we are doing. We can bring you into the reconciliation. We can bring you in for rehabilitation and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is interested in the Igbos.”
