Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra has said the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was  “pained” over the security challenges currently ravaging the South- Eastern part of the country.

Speaking on Wednesday, at a tribute for the late first Minister of Aviation, Mbazulike Amechi, Mr Soludo said the release of Mr Kanu from prison would help end “criminality” which has become a big industry in the Southeast.

“Every criminal is claiming to be a freedom fighter in the South East and Kanu (Nnamdi) is in pain about what is happening in the region,” Mr Soludo said.“We want to separate the criminals from those agitating for one thing or the other.

“When I visited Nnamdi Kanu in prison, I told him about how criminals posing as freedom fighters are kidnapping and killing people. He called it an abomination,”  he added. 

Recall that Mr Kanu, who had been agitating for a Biafra nation, had been facing charges of a treasonable felony after he was arrested in Kenya by the government.

Following his arrest, Mr Soludo has repeatedly pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to release the Biafra agitator.  

Mr Soludo recalled that the deceased had also joined his voice for the release of Mr Kanu due to the level of insecurity in his hometown of Upor.

“Mbazulike Amechi was from Ukpor and unfortunately many of the criminals operate from Ukpor and he believed that the release of Kanu would facilitate the end of the criminality which has become a big industry,” he said.