The Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has called for a political resolution to the case of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Kalu made the call on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television’s current affairs programme, Sunday Politics.
He said the violent agitations linked to Kanu’s activities resulted in the death of more than 30,000 people and led to widespread destruction of businesses across the South-East.
“This is not the time for noise-making or emotions. It is a period for sober reflection,” he said.
According to him, the unrest affected thousands of traders and families, adding that several livelihoods were wiped out with little public attention given to their plight.
He recalled the case of a trader known to his late mother whose rice business was destroyed, leaving her bankrupt.
Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, urged stakeholders and political actors to focus on constructive engagement with the Federal Government to secure a political settlement for Kanu.
“The problem of Nnamdi Kanu should be resolved politically. I have been working with the Federal Government on how to solve this issue,” he said.
Kalu also recounted his past interventions, including persuading the Buhari administration to grant Kanu bail in 2017. He said he resisted pressure to stop The Sun newspaper — which he owns — from reporting stories on the IPOB leader during that period.
He explained that his commitment to press freedom guided his decision.
“The then Federal Government wanted The Sun to stop putting Nnamdi Kanu on the front page, but I insisted on free press. My journalists were told to write only what they saw,” he said.
Kalu expressed disappointment that despite his efforts, the ensuing crisis deepened instability in the South-East.
The senator maintained that dialogue remained the most viable option to address the concerns surrounding Kanu’s detention and the broader tensions in the region.