The South-South leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, has joined the growing calls for the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu after the Court of Appeal ordered his immediate release from detention.

Clerk made the call to President Muhammadu Buhari while noting that Kanu’s release would be in the interest of peace of the country, the South East Zone, in particular.

In a statement yesterday, the PANDEF leader stated that most Nigerians greeted the judgement with elation, mainly in the South East, adding that it would be detrimental for the Federal Government to still keep Kanu in detention and provide any pretext for malefactors to continue to take advantage of the situation in perpetrating all sorts of atrocities in the zone.

The statement read: “Even though certain activities of Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB followers have been a nuisance and very disturbing, the Federal Government went too far in going all the way to Kenya to abduct him on the ground that he jumped bail.

“I remember that when the leaders, elders and Traditional Rulers of the South East pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to release Kanu and other pro-Biafra agitators in detention, the President responded that Nnamdi Kanu’s fate will be decided by the court.

And even when they (Igbo leaders) visited him at Aso Rock, the President again said the matter was no longer in his hand and the security agencies, but in the hand of the Judiciary and that whatever the Court decides would be final.

“Now that the Court of Appeal has given its judgement on the matter, I am imploring the President to obey the judgement of the Court and release the young man, and allow peace to reign. At this time, when insecurity is the order of the day, anything that would enhance the peace and stability of the country must be embraced.

“The issue as to whether Nnamdi Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted by the Court of Appeal has been decided by the Supreme Court to the extent that sometimes a  discharge is the end of a case whereas at other times it may not be so regarded.

“Nonetheless, the judgement of the three-member Panel of the Court of Appeal, which discharged Nnamdi Kanu is explicit and total and requires no further theatrics. “Can any responsible government, anywhere in the world, challenge such a judgement?

I do not think so! It is rather shocking that the Federal Government is said to be considering what to do next on the matter. “The unity of Nigeria can only be achieved and sustained if every part of the country is treated equally with the other parts, in all ramifications.

No one can play God over Nigeria and no section owns this country more than any other section. We want Mr. President to reassure Nigerians of our oneness.”