The diaspora and Umuada Igbo Nigeria are spearheading a movement among Igbo-speaking states' women's groups to demand that President Bola Tinubu free Nnamdi Kanu, the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader. Daily Post reports that numerous groups and prominent Nigerians have shown an increasing interest in this new appeal, including the South East Governors' Forum (SEGF), the National Assembly Caucus of the zone, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), and a number of organizations.
The women claim that the five southeast states will experience a return to social and economic activity, as well as peace and security, upon Kanu's unconditional release. Lolo Kate Ezeofor, the group's president general and founder, gave a speech in Enugu on Friday in which the women lamented that neither the federal government nor the state governments nor the local population had profited from the continued confinement of the self-determination advocate.
"On behalf of all Igbo women, mothers, sisters, and wives, I respectfully request that Your Excellency, Bola Tinubu, President Federal Republic of Nigeria, utilize your good office to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody," the statement read in part. "Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in Diaspora of seven Igbo Speaking States: Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers, as well as Umuada Igbo in other States of Nigeria and in Diaspora, with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations, New York, USA and Geneva, Switzerland, hereby pray on behalf of all Igbo women, mothers, sisters, and wives.
"We have faith that his release will usher in a period of permanent calm in the southeast region of Nigeria and the country as a whole."