“Release Nnamdi Kanu or Return Him to Kenya,” South-East Monarch Tells Tinubu

Dr. Lawrence Agubuzu, the Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), or return him to Kenya, warning that his continued detention is fuelling unrest among South-East youths.

Agubuzu made the appeal during the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja. “Bring this man out. If we don’t want him in Nigeria, return him to Kenya or London where they took him from. Please do something about this,” he told the President.

The summit, themed “The Role of Traditional and Religious Leaders in Advancing the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” brought together traditional and religious leaders to strengthen community engagement in health reforms. A compact was signed to enhance healthcare delivery and accountability.

Agubuzu also questioned the sincerity of unity messages delivered by other leaders, noting plans to honor Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Igboho while Kanu remains imprisoned. He warned that growing frustration among youths threatens the credibility of traditional authorities.

Kanu, 58, a British-Nigerian activist and IPOB founder, has faced legal battles since 2015. After a 2021 re-arrest in Kenya, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 and is currently held at Sokoto Correctional Centre.

The summit included participation from the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, the Senate Committee on Health, and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who highlighted the upcoming National Community Food Bank Programme. Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, described the event as the first comprehensive engagement with traditional and religious leaders since the start of health sector reforms.