"We must end insecurity in the South-east and we need Nnamdi Kanu to be around."
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has appealed to the Nigerian government to "unconditionally and immediately" release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Mr Soludo made the appeal on Saturday during the campaign flag-off of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Awka, the state capital.
The governor said if the IPOB leader cannot be released unconditionally by the government, he (Kanu) should be released to him (Soludo).
"I am making a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. If he cannot be released unconditionally, I want him released to me and I will stand surety for him," he said.
"We need Nnamdi Kanu in the roundtable conversation to discuss the insecurity in the South-east. We must end insecurity in the South-east and we need Nnamdi Kanu to be around.
"We, some time ago, set up the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to find out the root cause of insecurity in the South-east and they have almost concluded their assignment.
"But this issue of insecurity cannot be well addressed without bringing to the table the key players in this matter," Mr Soludo added.
"We have applied the kinetic and non-kinetic approach to fighting insecurity in the South-east but the non-kinetic approach cannot be complete without the Federal Government releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu."
Mr Soludo assured that he would cater for Mr Kanu and also offered to bring him to the country's authorities any time he is required.
"I will house him here in Awka. We need him released to end insecurity in the South-east," he said.
This is the first time the governor would ask for the release of Mr Kanu.
In May, the governor visited the IPOB leader at the facility of Nigeria's secret police, State Security Service, in Abuja, explaining that the visit was part of his "wider consultations with critical stakeholders" to ensure lasting peace and security in the South-east.
Background
Mr Kanu was first arrested in October 2015, but granted bail in April 2017 on health grounds.
He fled the country after an invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, by the Nigerian military in September 2017.
He was re-arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria in June 2021, about four years after he fled the country.
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The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October, held that the IPOB leader was extra-ordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the country's extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights.
The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the custody of the SSS.
But the government refused to release the IPOB leader insisting that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east.
The government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying execution of the court judgement at the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is yet to rule on the pending appeal several months after, fueling speculations that the government was not disposed to release Mr Kanu.
Several residents of the South-east believe that the release of the Biafra agitator would end insecurity in the region.
The IPOB leader, in December, accused those behind the delay of the pending appeal against him at the Supreme Court of being responsible for the rising insecurity in the South-east.
