“Releasing Nnamdi Kanu, Creating Anioma State Will End South-East Unrest” — Ned Nwoko

Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, has said that lasting peace will remain elusive in the South-East until the federal government addresses what he described as the region’s long-standing sense of marginalisation.

Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, Nwoko said the unrest in the region is rooted in “perceived injustice by successive governments.” He proposed two key steps to restore stability — the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the creation of Anioma State.

“The problem in the South-East has to do with perceived injustice by successive governments,” Nwoko said. “What needs to be done is the creation of a new state to make up the number to six, and then the release of Nnamdi Kanu. By the time you do these two things, I am almost certain that peace will return to the South-East.”

The South-East currently has five states, one less than any other geopolitical zone in Nigeria. The region has experienced persistent security challenges, many of which are linked to IPOB’s agitation for a separate Biafran nation.

Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021 and is facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Nwoko described his continued detention as unjust, arguing that it remains one of the main triggers of unrest in the region. He called for a political resolution to the issue, which he said could calm tensions and pave the way for dialogue.

The senator also reaffirmed his commitment to the creation of Anioma State from the present Delta State, noting that the process was making progress. He disclosed that the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on constitutional review had endorsed the idea of adding one more state to the South-East.

“Now, what has happened is that the National Assembly has put together a committee to decide which state to choose. There are about seven state proposals from the South-East, and we are one of them. At the public hearing in Enugu, we also presented our case, so I am almost certain that we will be chosen,” he said.

Nwoko expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would approve the new state if it is recommended by the committee, describing the potential creation of Anioma State as “the best gift” the president could offer to the Igbo people.