The South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops have joined the call on President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

They made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday signed by Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, chairman of the Anambra Traditional Rulers Council and Chibuzo Opoko, the Methodist archbishop of Umuahia.

Others who signed the statement were Lawrence Agubuzu, the Enugu Traditional Rulers Council chairman and Valerian Okeke, Catholic archbishop of Onitsha.

The joint body said it welcomed the judgment of an Appeal Court which discharged Nnamdi and described it as an “unprecedented opportunity to overcome the challenge of trust that has obstructed the path to peace.”

The joint body added that it had consistently called on all stakeholders for peacebuilding and resolution of security challenges in the South East based on justice, equity, fairness and love.

“We have also supported the call for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the federal government to douse the current tensions across the Southeast and create an atmosphere for collaboration towards a constructive resolution of issues,” they stated. “The judgment of the appellate court presents a timely and unprecedented opportunity to overcome the challenge of trust that has obstructed the path to peace and opens the window to winning the hearts and minds of the people.”

The Igbo coalition of traditional and religious leaders added, “We, therefore, unequivocally support the call for the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in line with the unanimous judgment of the court that his extradition and subsequent trial was illegal.”

The traditional rulers and bishops said they had undertaken extensive consultations with all stakeholders to broker a permanent, regionally coordinated restoration of the South-East.

They noted that the march towards peace and the restoration of normalcy in society and the economy required the collective action of all people.

(NAN)