The IPOB leader, who is facing trial at the Federal High Court Abuja, has been in detention since June 2021 when he was repatriated from Kenya to Nigeria over terrorism allegations.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has announced that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), will soon be released from detention.
IPOB is a group seeking to carve out a sovereign state of Biafra from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria.
The IPOB leader, who is facing trial at the Federal High Court Abuja, has been in detention since June 2021 when he was repatriated from Kenya to Nigeria over terrorism allegations.
Mr Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency at the lower chamber, said talks were already ongoing to free Mr Kanu from detention, according to a statement by the lawmaker's spokesperson, Levinus Nwabughiogu, on Tuesday.
The deputy speaker, according to the statement, spoke virtually when he was featured as a guest on the "South-east political roundtable," a programme on FLO FM in Umuahia, Abia State capital on Tuesday.
"We are working underground. There's a detailed strategy. It's not by violence. You can't coerce the government through violence. It has never worked and won't work. Let's be wiser. The wisdom is in peace. Let's quench the violence," he said of the strategy to secure the IPOB leader's release.
'End sit-at-home order in South-east'
An initial sit-at-home order enforced by IPOB every Monday in the South-east to protest the detention of Mr Kanu was later suspended by the separatist group.
But gunmen, believed to be part of a faction of IPOB, have continued to enforce the illegal order in the region.
Mr Kalu, however, advised youths in the South-east to ensure that the observance of the sit-at-home in the region stops, stressing that the illegal action was scaring many investors who want to contribute to the development of the region.
"Our strength does not lie in how many guns we carry, nor in how many people we threaten not to come out on Monday. That is not the display of the strength of an Igbo man.
"I call on all of you who are in support of the sit-at-home on Monday, it is time to stop," he said.
The federal lawmaker also urged those carrying arms in the region to lay down their weapons and join in the no-kinetic approach being canvassed in the Peace In South-east Project, to end the security challenges and other agitations of the people.
The Peace In South-east Project is an initiative recently inaugurated by the deputy speaker in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, where he hails from.
Mr Kalu, during the radio programme, urged groups agitating for the release of the IPOB leader to support President Bola to solve the issue and not to attack the president.
"If it's chaotic, it won't work. Let's cool down," he began.
"Let the man (Tinubu) see that you've recognised he didn't contribute to locking him up and that he has not done anything to the South-east. We should support him and his government and not attack him.
"I'm standing firmly against the voice of violence, preaching peace. That is what I'm here for, this voice of peace will echo through the Villa and he will come out. Mr President was happy with what happened in Bende LGA. That the whole country can gather together and support this project," the lawmaker stated.
He contended that President Tinubu has shown interest in Igbo affairs, citing the appointment of chief of naval staff and minister of works - all from Igbo-speaking part of the South-east.
Background
Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader, was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, 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.
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The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the State Security Service.
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, where he comes from.
The government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgment at the Supreme Court.
Delivering judgement on the appeal on 15 December 2023 the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered the continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja.
