A coalition of Igbo religious leaders has issued an urgent call for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is currently serving a life sentence at Sokoto Correctional Centre.
In a strongly worded statement titled “From Aburi to ESN: The Same Twisted Playbook and the Problem Within Igbo Ranks,” the group—comprising bishops, pastors, priests, and custodians of traditional Igbo spirituality—argued that Kanu’s continued detention represents a grave injustice rooted in historical political grievances.
Kanu was convicted on treason-related charges and handed a life sentence on 20 November 2025 by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court. He has since lodged an appeal against the conviction.
‘History Repeating Itself’
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Rev. Tony Uzor Anthony insisted that the clergy were acting not out of partisan loyalty, but from a “moral and spiritual duty to defend truth” and protect the Igbo nation.
Drawing a parallel with the events leading up to the Nigerian Civil War, the coalition asserted that the same forces which distorted the 1967 Aburi Accord in Ghana are once again manipulating the narrative around the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and the IPOB agitation.
“The method is identical: take an agreement or a defensive initiative born of necessity, distort it through propaganda, and blame the victim for the ensuing crisis,” the statement read.
The Aburi Accord had originally provided for a confederal structure intended to guarantee regional autonomy and address the marginalisation of the Eastern Region—terms the coalition claims were deliberately twisted to justify war.
Defence of the Eastern Security Network
The religious leaders defended the creation of the ESN, arguing that it was a necessity born out of the proscription of IPOB and the subsequent deployment of the military to the South-East under Operation Python Dance II.
“The Eastern Security Network was birthed by necessity after Igbo governors unilaterally proscribed IPOB and invited the Nigerian military into our land,” the coalition stated.
They further alleged that the ESN was established to protect communities from attacks by armed herders and bandits, and that it has helped shield parts of the South-East from widespread violence. The group criticised what it described as a coordinated effort to portray ESN and Kanu as the architects of the very insecurity they were created to combat.
Legal Questions and Call for Restructuring
The coalition has also questioned the legal validity of Kanu’s conviction, asking: “Under what subsisting Nigerian law did Justice James Omotosho deliver the 20 November 2025 conviction?” They contend that questions surrounding the applicable laws, jurisdiction, and fair hearing remain unanswered.
Beyond Kanu’s release, the group called for a fundamental restructuring of Nigeria, arguing that the country’s current challenges are rooted in unresolved historical grievances and political injustice. They urged Nigerians, particularly those from the South-East, to reject what they described as misinformation surrounding the agitation and to demand accountability from those who enabled the current insecurity.
Describing Kanu as an “indispensable first step toward genuine peace,” the coalition insists that his unconditional release is essential for lasting peace and meaningful dialogue on the nation’s future.
