Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has stated that the release of detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu remains critical to the restoration of peace and security in the South East, especially in view of the forthcoming 2023 elections.

Soludo stated, yesterday, while speaking on the television programme monitored in Lagoa. He said the release of the IPOB leader wascritical inn ensuring the stability of the South East to allow for peaceful conduct of elections.

Soludo, who reiterated his promise to stand surety for Kanu said: “I’m very serious about the release of Kanu and it is about the security, peace and prosperity of the South East. You need the stakeholders around the table to achieve this. There is someone who is critical in this conversation so we need him on this table. That’s why we need him on this table. That’s why I continue to push for this. My request is two-fold: grant him unconditional release as the court has said or if there’s are other things he is being held for, grant him administrative bail and I am ready to stand surety for him.”

Soludo had last week in Awka, the Anambra State capital, demanded the unconditional release of Kanu, assuring the Federal Government that he would stand surety for him.

He had said: “I am making a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. If he cannot be released unconditionally, I want him released to me and I will stand surety for him. We need Nnamdi Kanu in the roundtable conversation to discuss the insecurity in the South East. We must end insecurity in the South East and we need Nnamdi Kanu to be around,” promising to take care of him while offering to bring him to the Nigerian authorities any time he was needed.” (Daily Sun)