In a recent interview, Pa Edwin Clark, the elder statesman and leader of the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), discussed the release of Nnamdi Kanu, contrasting it with the cases of Bodejo from Miyetti Allah, Sunday Igboho, and Omoyele Sowore, as reported by THE SUN.
Clark mentioned his role in the Nnamdi Kanu issue, highlighting that he had previously condemned Kanu for his radical actions. He reminded Kanu that the Biafran War predated Kanu's birth. Clark advised Kanu to protest peacefully without causing harm to the country. This stance drew criticism from Kanu's supporters, especially when Clark indicated that the South-South region, encompassing Delta and Edo States, should not align with Kanu's objectives.
He said, “For sometime now, I have been involved in this Nnamdi Kanu affair. Once I criticized him for going too far. I accused him that you were in your mother’s womb when the war was being fought. This war took place in 1967 and you were not born at that time. Take it easy. You have every right to demonstrate but don’t kill people, don’t do things that are not good for the country.
“He abused me back. Because I said in my statement that he should not include Delta State, Edo State and South South region. So they got angry and insulted me. But what we are now talking about is a very serious issue. When he was being tried, the way the terrorism act was being enacted by Buhari, we didn’t like it. It was as if it was targeted against one person. So we criticized that one too.”
He remembered that Kanu fled Nigeria following a military raid on his residence in Umuahia, a detail subsequently validated by the Federal High Court, which contradicted the claim that Kanu had violated bail.
Clark appealed to the federal government, mentioning that he had previously penned an open letter to President Buhari, advocating for Kanu's release. He compared this situation to that of Asari Dokubo, who had faced similar charges and was released after interventions by Clark and other leaders with President Obasanjo. Clark pointed out that after securing bail for Dokubo, the case against him was essentially dropped.
Clark also referred to the situation involving Sunday Igboho, who advocated for an Oduduwa Nation and encountered a security forces raid that prompted him to flee to the Republic of Benin. Despite being accused of terrorism, Igboho has subsequently come back to Nigeria and travels without restrictions between Nigeria, Benin, and Germany.
Clark contended that Sowore's advocacy for revolution shouldn't lead to legal charges, emphasizing the profound implications and the genuine intent behind revolutions, often misconstrued as peaceful protests against injustice and oppression.
Clark expressed that the detention of Kanu seemed unjust and possibly influenced by his Igbo background, noting that the civil war had ended more than 50 years ago. He advocated for Kanu's immediate release, emphasizing that further detention was unwarranted.
“That is why we said Kanu should be released except you are holding him because he belongs to the Igbo tribe. Because the war has been over for about 50 years now, why detain Kanu? It’s unfair. He should be free,” he said.