Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has expressed optimism that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will order the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking on Tuesday during the 13th memorial anniversary of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in Owerri, Ojukwu emphasized that Kanu’s release is critical to identifying and isolating criminal elements exploiting his detention to perpetrate violence in the Southeast.
“The release of Nnamdi Kanu is paramount to separating genuine freedom fighters from criminals causing mayhem in the Southeast. Our people face existential threats, and we must act to restore peace,” she said.
Ojukwu highlighted the deteriorating security situation in the region, lamenting the rise of kidnappings, violence, and the displacement of communities. She noted that the Southeast, once a beacon of resilience and enterprise, is now plagued by insecurity.
“Communities are empty. Our illustrious sons and daughters have fled. Kidnappers now abduct their brothers for ransom. This is not what Dim Ojukwu fought for,” she said.
Bianca Ojukwu made a passionate appeal to President Tinubu, stating that Kanu’s freedom would expose criminals hiding under the guise of IPOB and help restore normalcy to the region.
“President Tinubu understands the importance of Kanu’s release. It will expose the masqueraders behind the violence and help restore order. I will do whatever it takes to ensure His Excellency grants this request,” she said.
She also criticized the imposition of violent sit-at-home orders, which she said contradict the ideals of self-determination and have crippled economic activities in the region.
“Ndigbo are enterprising and their brother’s keepers. We must reclaim our land and continue to propagate the ideals for which Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu stood,” she said.
Reflecting on the event’s theme, “Unifying the Igbo Race,” Ojukwu urged leaders and citizens to collaborate in addressing the security challenges. She called for a return to the values of unity, self-determination, and community upliftment that her late husband, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, championed.
“Our people are not known for harming their own. We must rise above this violence and work together to reclaim our dignity and heritage,” she concluded.
