The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has expressed strong support for the Southeast governors’ efforts to secure the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
It was reported that Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in 2021.
The five governors from the Southeast, operating under the Southeast Governors’ Forum, convened in Enugu State on Tuesday, resolving to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to seek Kanu’s release.
Reacting to this development, COSEYL President General Goodluck Ibem stated that Kanu’s freedom is crucial for the security and peace of the region. The group further claimed that some criminal elements have exploited Kanu’s incarceration to commit crimes in the region, falsely using IPOB as a cover.
“The release of Kanu will usher in security, progress and development as businessmen and women who have been out of business due to insecurity will return to their economic activities.
“Releasing Nnamdi Kanu will pave the way for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the longstanding issues in the southeastern region.
“This will help de-escalate tensions and foster a more constructive conversation between the government and other agitation groups in the nation.
“We therefore urge the father of the nation and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in order to restore peace, unity, progress, national cohesion and integration”, the statement added.
