South East Governors in Talks with FG on Nnamdi Kanu’s Release, Says Otti

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has revealed that South East governors are engaged in talks with the Federal Government to secure the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Otti, speaking during his monthly media briefing on Thursday, said the discussions were ongoing behind the scenes and assured that he was personally committed to the cause. “The information and assurances are not for public consumption. As his governor, I am in the forefront of ensuring that he comes back. The South East governors are also involved. So, we are discussing,” he told journalists.

The governor stressed that while Kanu’s release remains a priority, his administration is equally focused on strengthening security across the state as the year draws to a close. He noted that security agencies in Abia have worked tirelessly to keep the state relatively peaceful but urged residents to remain vigilant during the ember months. “We should not keep quiet. A large part of the success in security is information. If you support what the government is doing with information, it will be very helpful,” he added.

On the issue of vandalism in schools, Otti expressed concern over the involvement of some youths and disclosed that his government has approved the recruitment of four security personnel for each school to curb the menace.

The governor also highlighted infrastructure developments, confirming that President Bola Tinubu will visit Abia next Friday to inaugurate several completed roads in Aba. He further disclosed that reconstruction of the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene federal road would commence in the coming weeks.

Addressing protests from communities affected by the Abia Airport project, Otti admitted there had been lapses in compensation payments. He explained that some genuine landowners were omitted from initial records, others had incomplete documentation, and the contractor mistakenly encroached on unmarked land. He assured that corrective steps were already being taken.

Otti rounded off by listing his administration’s achievements across key sectors and assured residents that more projects and reforms were underway.