Abia State Governor Alex Otti has reacted to the life imprisonment sentence handed to Nnamdi Kanu, the Abia-born leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 20.
Governor Otti revealed that he has activated a strategy to secure Kanu’s release, a plan he had begun developing while the IPOB leader’s trial was ongoing.
“While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has the right to appeal his conviction, I am pleased to inform you that I have already set in motion a strategy that will continue until his freedom is secured,” Otti stated on Saturday.
The governor said he had communicated some of the agreements reached with “the highest authorities” during his visit to Kanu while he was in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.
Otti also criticized the early handling of the IPOB issue, describing it as tactless, and emphasized the need for a peaceful and political resolution.
“The poor management of the IPOB issue in its early stages created the problem we face today. We cannot allow it to fester and grow into an even bigger challenge,” he said.
He further warned politicians against exploiting Kanu’s situation for political gain. “I urge those who may be tempted to play petty politics with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s plight to abandon such ideas and work with us toward securing his freedom,” he added.
The governor appealed to residents of Abia State and the South East region to remain calm and avoid making inflammatory statements.
In a statement signed by Otti and released through his media adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the governor expressed his readiness to collaborate with other stakeholders to resolve the matter.
“I am also willing to work with well-meaning Nigerians who genuinely want this problem resolved, using diplomacy and dialogue with the federal government. Although the federal government did not create this problem, it has the capacity to resolve it responsibly and take credit for doing so,” Otti said.
Reflecting on past events, Otti recalled condemning the 2017 military operation at Kanu’s family home in Umuahia, which led to destruction and loss of lives. He highlighted his consistent call for dialogue as the best means to resolve the IPOB issue and prevent violence.
“Leadership requires emotional intelligence, restraint, and tolerance, not force,” he said. “The mishandling of IPOB in its early days is what led to the challenges we see now. We must act wisely to avoid creating an even larger problem.”
Otti explained that he personally engaged federal authorities starting from December 22, 2023, on alternative strategies to resolve the matter. Some agreements were reached but depended on the court’s timely judgment, which unfortunately took longer than expected.
He urged the public to remain calm and avoid actions that could escalate tensions, expressing confidence that with the assurances he has received from the federal government, a resolution and Kanu’s release are within reach.
“Finally, I assure our people of my unwavering commitment to solving this issue with wisdom, high-level dialogue, and diplomacy, to restore genuine peace to the South East,” he concluded.
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