The group said the president could apply prerogative of mercy in doing so, lamenting that since his arrest and detention, the insecurity situation in the region had escalated.
ASETU said it believed that releasing the IPOB leader would help to restore peace in the region.
The group made the appeal in statement signed by its National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, adding that the South-East had been in serious grief following the arrest and detention of Kanu by the federal government.
The statement partly read: “ASETU, and indeed Igbos in general, are most grieved by the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, an action which has not helped the security situation in Igboland and Nigeria but rather introduced the monstrous and retrogressive ‘sit-at-home’ with the attendant massive deterioration of security situation and debilitation of the South-East economy.”
The group passionately appealed to President Buhari to “extend his milk of human kindness to Ndi Igbo in this most trying period and abate the continued loss of innocent souls and the destruction of the South-East economy by applying a political solution and using his prerogative of mercy of the Presidential Amnesty to release Mazi Nnamdi Kalu from detention.
“This will not be the first time Nigeria is compromising logic and legality to achieve peace, except there is more to it. It was done in the Niger Delta in the case of Asari Dokubo and Co: also, confirmed Boko Haram, killer terrorists and bandits, who have murdered several innocent soldiers, policemen, and thousands of other security agents and innocent civilians were said to have been pardoned, compensated with billions of naira and placed on salaries above level 15 civil servants; ironically but dangerously they were recruited and absorbed into the same Nigerian Army they swore to wipe out!” the group said.
The ASETU noted that the continued detention of one man (Nnamdi Kanu) had caused the death of so many innocent lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira.
The group added, “If releasing him (Kanu) will stop the killings and the ‘sit at homes’ as claimed, what do we lose by trying this option to save further lives and property. It is a costless benefit of doubt.
“We assure you, Mr. President, that releasing him will not worsen the security situation, rather it will bring better peace and eliminate or reduce drastically the killings. Our leadership is grassroot-based. We are on (the) ground. We feel the heartbeat of the people more.”
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
