Anambra State governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has clarified that the call for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is not linked to insecurity in the South-East.
Soludo stated this on Monday, while speaking during a media chat to mark his third year in office.
The governor, who has been advocating for Kanu’s release, stated that the issue should be viewed separately from security concerns in the region.
Soludo said, “The release of Nnamdi Kanu for me is different from the issue of security, I separate the two, I don’t link the two.”
According to Soludo, his call for Kanu’s freedom is based on the need for broader discussions about the future of the Igbo people, while insecurity in the region stems from criminal activities.
“Nnamdi Kanu for me is for us to have a conversation of a long-term future for the Igbos and that is a different conversation.
“For the criminals who are kidnappers, we have given them olive branch, come out, we will train you, we will empower you, we will rehabilitate you, if you don’t we take you out,” the governor added.
He also accused Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed IPOB leader, of hijacking the situation and turning it into a “killing spree.”