Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, on Tuesday called on President Bola Tinubu to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Afenifere made the call in a communique issued at the end of its general meeting, held at the residence of its leader, Ayo Adebanjo, and was presided over by the Deputy Leader of the Group, Oba Oladipo Olaitan.
The communique jointly signed by both Olaitan and the National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye, said Kanu should be released in the interest of justice and national reconciliation.
According to Afenifere, the fair hearing of the separatist leader may no longer be guaranteed due to controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in different courts.
According to the communique, Afenifere who described Kanu as a political detainee, said there’s no justification for his continued detention without trial.
It reads, “Afenifere notes that from all circumstances, particularly since his abduction in 2021 and rendition to Nigeria and since then subjected to controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in different courts by which his fair trial may no longer be guaranteed in the opinion of reasonable members of the public, it is clear that Nnamdi Kanu is indubitably a political detainee”.
“In the interest of justice and national reconciliation, Afenifere urged President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu forthwith. There is no justifiable reason to continue to keep him in detention without trial.”
The meeting also approved the appointment of Dele Farotimi as the National Organising Secretary of Afenifere.
“The General Meeting considered and approved the appointment of Barrister Dele Farotimi as the National Organising Secretary of the Afenifere.”
Speaking on the nation’s insecurity, Afenifere reiterated its call for state police, positing that with the vast territory, population and federation the country cannot be effectively and meaningfully secured with a single command of unitary police.
The group called on “President Tinubu as the Commander-in-Chief to take bold, positive and ideological steps to ensure genuine protection of life and property all over the country.”
“Afenifere reiterates the position that Nigeria with its vast territory, population and as a federation cannot be effectively and meaningfully secured with a single command unitary police structure and thus the need for the restructuring to ensure immediate constitutional institutionalization of state police.
“The steps will prevent a situation the Governor of Oyo State, even as the Chief Security Officer had to helplessly and lamentably make an outcry on the infiltration of bandits into his state,” the communique added.