The Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission (CIMC) has criticised South-East governors over what it described as their continued silence and failure to act decisively on the conviction of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The group, In a press statement signed by its President, Rev. Tony Uzor, which was shared with journalists on Monday, said it was “deeply worried and disappointed” by the inaction of most Igbo governors despite earlier assurances to the people that they would pursue a political and humane resolution to Kanu’s case following the conviction judgment delivered by Justice Omotosho.

According to the statement, the governors had promised to urgently meet President Bola Tinubu to seek Kanu’s release, but only one governor, Alex Otti of Abia, has fulfilled that pledge so far.

“Till today, only one governor has kept that promise – Governor Alex Otti of Abia State. The rest have failed our people,” the group said.

The CIMC dismissed suggestions that delays were due to logistics or administrative challenges, insisting that the prolonged inaction pointed to a lack of sincerity among many political leaders in the South-East.

“This is no longer a matter of delay or logistics. It is now clear that many of these politicians are not sincere. Their repeated promises have turned into empty words,” Uzor stated.

The group alleged that fear and jealousy were the real reasons behind the silence of some Igbo governors, claiming that many politicians were threatened by Kanu’s popularity and influence among the people.

“The truth is painful, but it must be said: many Igbo politicians are afraid of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They fear his popularity. They fear his courage. They fear the love ordinary Igbo people have for him,” the statement read.

According to the CIMC, Kanu’s conviction serves the political interests of some leaders who are worried that his freedom would expose what the group described as years of betrayal and silence in the face of the marginalisation of the Igbo people.

“They know that if Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is released, their years of betrayal, silence, and cooperation with those oppressing Igbo people will be exposed. That is why, except for Governor Otti, they are comfortable watching an innocent man remain in detention,” Uzor said.

The commission further argued that many Igbo politicians were aware of Kanu’s innocence and his commitment to the Igbo cause, including his role in the formation of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

“They know he genuinely loves the Igbo people and was ready to die for them. They know the Eastern Security Network was created to protect our communities when governments failed to do so,” the statement said.

The group also alleged that criminal elements were later sponsored and disguised as agitators in order to discredit the struggle and justify continued repression.

On the issue of sit-at-home orders in the South-East, the CIMC rejected claims that Kanu was responsible for the weekly shutdowns or the violence associated with them.

“Let us speak plainly. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not declare Monday sit-at-home. The people acted on their own out of pain and frustration. More importantly, he tried many times to stop it,” Uzor said.

The commission recalled a 2022 visit by Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, to Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility, during which Kanu allegedly pleaded to be allowed to address his supporters.

“In 2022, when Governor Chukwuma Soludo visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu at DSS custody, Kanu begged DSS officials to allow him speak to the people and call off sit-at-home and any form of unrest. Governor Soludo witnessed this and even joined in pleading with the DSS. The DSS refused,” the statement said.

According to the group, the refusal by the DSS created a vacuum that allowed criminal elements, some allegedly backed by vested interests, to hijack the situation, worsen insecurity in the region, and then shift the blame to Kanu.

“Even in open court, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu called for an end to sit-at-home and violence. He wrote a handwritten note warning that anyone calling for sit-at-home was not his follower,” Uzor added.

The CIMC questioned how a man held in DSS custody could be accused of coordinating insecurity across the South-East, describing such claims as dishonest.

“So how can anyone honestly claim that a man locked away in DSS custody was organising insecurity across the South-East? That claim is simply a lie,” the group said.

The commission accused the South-East Governors’ Forum of repeatedly making promises to meet the President without following through, urging the public to recognise what it described as deliberate deception.

“Our people must now understand the hard truth: some of these governors do not want Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be free. They believe his freedom will end their political careers built on compromise and silence,” Uzor stated.

The group warned that history, God and the Igbo people would ultimately judge the actions and inactions of political leaders on the matter.

In its demands, the CIMC called on President Tinubu to intervene and bring Kanu’s detention to an end, urged Igbo governors to act decisively or stop “pretending to care,” and appealed to Nigerians to reject misinformation and stand for truth.

“You can jail a man, but you cannot jail the truth. You can delay justice, but you cannot erase history,” the statement said, adding that Kanu’s case transcends one individual.

“Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case is not just about one man — it is about justice, dignity, and the future of our people,” the group said. (Daily Independent)