Negotiations for Nnamdi Kanu's release are ongoing, says Amaechi

A First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, has revealed that there is an ongoing discussion between some Igbo leaders and the Nigerian Federal Government, for the release of Nnamdi Kanu; the continuously conflicted leader if the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Amaechi gave the assurance while addressing journalists in Onitsha, Anambra State, ahead of Kanu’s court hearing slated for Friday, April 08, 2022.

The former Minister, last year, had led a delegation of Igbo elders to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over Kanu’s release.

However, Amaechi said despite Buhari’s assurances of releasing the IPOB leader, Kanu is still in custody.

He said Igbo elders met with President Buhari shortly after Kanu’s arraignment in court and told him to release him for them to go home and discuss with him the next Igbo agenda and “Buhari gave us an audience and ever since then, negotiations between us and the Federal Government have been on to free Kanu.

“Although, I am disappointed that up until now, Buhari has not released him despite assurances he gave to us on the day we visited him in Aso Rock, all hope is not lost as we are sure that Kanu will soon be released based on the ongoing negotiations.

“I will call on those agitating for one thing or the other to remain calm and be hopeful. Although, these agitations have demonstrated that only the release of Kanu will stop the agitations and we are working towards his release.”

Kanu was first arrested in 2015, but disappeared while on bail in April 2017. More than a year later, he surfaced in Israel.

His social media posts and broadcasts during his absence outraged the government, which said his comments sparked attacks on security forces in southeastern Nigeria.

Security agents produced him in court in Abuja on June 29, 2021, after detaining him in Kenya. He has appeared at the federal High Court, Abuja several times since that time.