Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, has said that the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is key to restoring peace and stability in Nigeria’s Southeast region.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics”, the lawmaker noted that peace has continued to elude the Southeast due to what he described as perceived marginalisation by successive administrations.
Nwoko explained that the region’s growing unrest and agitation stem from years of neglect and feelings of exclusion, particularly following the activities of IPOB and its demand for the creation of an independent state of Biafra.
He maintained that addressing these grievances through political and structural inclusion would go a long way in calming tensions.
“The problem in the Southeast has to do with the 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 Southeast.”
The senator, who has been a vocal advocate for the creation of Anioma State, said the move would correct the geopolitical imbalance that currently leaves the Southeast with only five states, unlike other zones that have six.
He further emphasised that national unity and sustainable peace can only be achieved when all regions are treated fairly and equitably within the Nigerian federation.
