A prominent traditional ruler from Nigeria’s South-East, Dr. Lawrence Agubuzu, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, or return him to Kenya, where he was arrested, warning that his continued incarceration is heightening agitation among youths in the region.
Agubuzu, the Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom, made the appeal on Tuesday while speaking at the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Addressing the President directly at the event, the monarch called for urgent action, saying the issue of Kanu’s detention had become a source of unrest and dissatisfaction in the South-East.
“Bring this man out. If we don’t want him in Nigeria, return him to Kenya or London where they took him from,” Agubuzu said.
“Please do something about this. We cannot make progress in this country if we don’t tell ourselves the truth,” he added.
Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a separatist group advocating for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria, was re-arrested in 2021 and has remained in custody facing charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony. His detention has continued to generate political and legal debates, as well as protests in parts of the South-East.
The monarch expressed concern that the prolonged detention was contributing to growing frustration among young people in the region and undermining efforts at peace and development.
The summit, which brought together traditional and religious leaders from across the country, focused primarily on health-related issues but also provided a platform for broader national discussions.
President Tinubu, who was present at the event, did not immediately respond publicly to the monarch’s remarks. However, the call adds to mounting appeals from various stakeholders, including political leaders and socio-cultural groups in the South-East, seeking a political resolution to the matter.
Observers say the appeal by a respected traditional ruler at a national forum underscores the depth of concern in the region and signals continued pressure on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the controversy surrounding Kanu’s detention.
