Former Lagos State lawmaker, Jude Emeka Idimogu, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant clemency to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu, who was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria, has remained in custody facing trial. Idimogu argued that releasing him would not only ease rising tensions in the Southeast but also boost the President’s political goodwill in the region ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“I want to plead with our President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to kindly consider using political means to grant Nnamdi Kanu clemency,” he said. “If this is done, I believe the insecurity and tension in the Southeast will reduce, if not completely disappear.”

Idimogu, who also serves as Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, urged Southeast governors, Igbo leaders, and well-meaning Nigerians nationwide to rally behind the call for Kanu’s release.

He maintained that many miscreants have exploited Kanu’s detention as cover to unleash violence in the region.

He further stressed that freedom for the IPOB leader would yield multiple benefits, including calming unrest, reviving business activity, and restoring the Southeast’s once-thriving commercial hub.

“Mr President, the Southeast economy has suffered greatly due to insecurity. Traders can no longer thrive as before, and many communities have been destabilised. Granting Kanu freedom will help restore peace and economic vibrancy,” Idimogu appealed.

He also linked the move to the ruling All Progressives Congress’s (APC) political fortunes. “It will add to APC’s support in the Southeast. If the President can resolve this issue, the Southeast will never forget him but remain forever grateful,” he added.