"I am not begging to be released, if release, it must be clean” – Nnamdi Kanu

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has given condition under which he must be released.

Nnamdi Kanu said he is, however, not begging the federal government to release him from the prison without due process.

Replying to questions thrown to him by the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Chukwuma Soludo who led a delegation of South-East and South-South leaders under the aegis of Nzuko Umunna, Kanu said his release must be legal. "I am not begging to be taken out of this place (Kuje Prison); but if I must be released, it must be clean.”

He said if at all he will be released from prison, he would not accept anything short of the legal process as constituted by the law. “My release from this place must be through the same legal process that brought me here (Kuje Prison),” Kanu said.

In his response, Soludo said, from Kanu's comment the major issue is federal government's obedience to previous court orders made on his (Kanu) bail and an unconditional release ordered by the court.

Speaking on issues of hate speech, Kanu said, he believes he has never hateful in any of his speeches. He however, informed Soludo and the other delegates of Nzuko Umunna that, he is not the kind of person who shies away from opposition. He said: "I don't think at any point, I went far… I did not go far enough and I will say more when I come out. "If you hate me, I’ll hate you more; if you love me, I love you more, I am not a pacifist,” Kanu said. "The Biafran people are loving people, they are peace loving people," he said.

The group led by the former governor of CBN said the visit was in solidarity with Kanu and his co-accused – Benjamin Madubugwu, Chidiebere Onwudiwe and David Nwawuisi - who have been in detention at the Kuje Prison.

Soludo also said the visit was aimed at consulting with the IPOB leader on his agitation for Biafra and the way forward in liberating and ensuring sustainable development in the South-East and South-South region.

The Nzuko Umunna group also blamed the consistent agitation on the corruption ravaging the country through looting by elites who have failed to address various major issues in Nigeria.

Soludo while speaking at a press conference on February 28, said, no citizen of Nigeria deserves the kind of the treatment meted to Kanu and his co-accused. He further called for their immediate release. Among the group of individuals that visited was Economist, Pat Utomi; Ferdinard Agu; the national secretary of the Alliance Democracy Udenta Udenta, Emeka Ugwu, Tony Nnadi, Law Mefor and head of public affairs for the Nzuko Umunna, Collins Steve-Ugwu.