By Obinna Uballa
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has assured Nigerians, particularly residents of the South East, that efforts are underway to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu following his life imprisonment for terrorism-related offences by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.
In a press statement made available on Saturday, Governor Otti described Kanu’s conviction as a development that “has broken a lot of our people and created an atmosphere of shock and sorrow in Abia and beyond.” He recalled his earlier condemnation of the military’s 2017 invasion of Kanu’s family home in Afaraukwu, Umuahia, warning that the poor handling of IPOB-related issues has contributed to the current crisis.
Otti emphasized that leadership requires “emotional intelligence, restraint, and tolerance rather than force and violence,” stressing that dialogue remains the most effective path to resolving the IPOB issue. He noted that he had personally engaged federal authorities since December 2023 on an alternative resolution strategy aimed at ensuring Kanu’s eventual release.
“I must state that some agreements were made which were dependent on quick dispensation of the matter at the federal high court. Unfortunately, the matter dragged until this time. I am confident that judgement having been delivered, the alternative resolution will now kick in,” Otti said, adding that Kanu had been briefed on the strategy while in DSS custody earlier this year.
Governor Otti also urged the public to remain calm, warning against actions or statements that could escalate fear, violence, or insecurity. He further cautioned politicians against exploiting Kanu’s conviction for “petty and dirty politics,” calling instead for cooperation to secure his release through diplomatic engagement with the federal government.
He concluded: “I want to assure our people of my unwavering resolve and commitment to genuinely solving this problem with wisdom, high-level dialogue, and diplomacy, with a view to ensuring that genuine peace returns to the South East.”
