SUNTV Global Channel Reporting
A prominent traditional ruler from Enugu State, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, has publicly urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately release detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu, warning that his continued incarceration is worsening tensions across Nigeria’s South-East.
Speaking during the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health held in Abuja, the monarch delivered an emotional appeal, saying the prolonged detention of Kanu is fueling anger among youths and putting traditional rulers under intense pressure in their communities.
Agubuzu, who previously served as chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, criticized the judicial process that led to Kanu’s conviction at the Federal High Court. He argued that if the Nigerian government considers the IPOB leader too dangerous to remain in the country, authorities should deport him instead of keeping him imprisoned.
According to him, “If Nigeria does not want him, return him to Kenya or the United Kingdom where he was taken from. We cannot make progress if we refuse to face the truth.”
The monarch also highlighted what he described as unequal treatment of regional agitators, referencing reports that the Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, is considering honoring Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho.
Agubuzu warned that the continued detention of Kanu has heightened insecurity and mistrust in the South-East, noting that many youths now see traditional rulers as collaborators with the federal government.
He concluded by stressing the urgent need for a political solution, stating that regional leaders are increasingly struggling to calm growing frustration among young people in the region.
SUNTV Global Channel reports that the monarch’s remarks have since gone viral online, adding fresh pressure on the federal government to reconsider its approach to the long-running Kanu case.
