The Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission (CIMC) has sharply criticised the continued silence of most South-East governors over the prolonged detention of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, warning that history will judge political leaders who, it said, chose convenience over justice.
In a statement signed by its President, Rev. Tony Uzor, the commission recalled that following the conviction judgment delivered by Justice Omotosho, governors from the South-East assured Igbo people that they would urgently meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue a political and humane resolution to Kanu’s case. According to the group, only Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has honoured that commitment.
“The rest have failed our people,” the statement declared, insisting that the continued inaction can no longer be excused as delay or logistics. The commission accused several governors of lacking sincerity, describing their repeated assurances as empty promises.
The CIMC alleged that fear and political self-preservation are behind the silence, claiming that some Igbo politicians are threatened by Kanu’s popularity and the deep loyalty he commands among ordinary people. It argued that his release would expose years of compromise and silence in the face of injustice against the Igbo.
Maintaining that Kanu is innocent, the commission said he has consistently demonstrated love and sacrifice for his people. It defended the creation of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), describing it as a response to rising insecurity at a time when communities were allegedly left unprotected.
On the sit-at-home controversy, the group rejected claims that Kanu ordered the Monday shutdowns across the South-East. It said the actions were driven by public anger and frustration, stressing that Kanu repeatedly attempted to halt them.
The statement recalled that in 2022, during a visit by Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo to Kanu at the DSS facility, Kanu allegedly pleaded to be allowed to address the public and call off sit-at-home and violence. According to the commission, the Department of State Services declined the request, creating an opening for criminal elements to exploit the situation.
The CIMC also cited instances where Kanu, in open court, called for an end to sit-at-home and issued a handwritten note warning that anyone enforcing it was not acting on his instructions. It questioned how a man in DSS custody could be accused of coordinating insecurity across the South-East, describing such claims as false.
The commission criticised the South-East Governors’ Forum for repeatedly promising to meet the President without delivering results, warning that “God is watching, history is watching, and the Igbo people are watching.”
It called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and end what it described as an ongoing injustice, urging Igbo governors to either act decisively or stop pretending to care.
The statement concluded that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case goes beyond one individual, touching on justice, dignity, and the future of the Igbo people.
The statement was signed by Rev. Tony Uzor, President of the Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission (CIMC).