Former Minister of Health and political adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Professor Alphonsus “ABC” Nwosu, has alleged that external forces are fueling the insecurity crisis in the Southeast region of Nigeria.
Speaking exclusively to Vanguard in Abuja, Prof. Nwosu said the continued detention of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, despite court orders for his release, has worsened tensions in the region. He emphasized that Kanu’s prolonged incarceration has become a major source of resentment among the people.
“The non-release of Nnamdi Kanu is one of the contributing factors to the insecurity. It’s not that Kanu is causing it directly, but the feeling of injustice and provocation is fuelling anger,” Nwosu stated. “Boko Haram members have been released, rehabilitated, and reintegrated into society, yet Nnamdi Kanu, who has not committed the same atrocities, remains in detention.”
Nwosu also alleged that certain interests outside the Southeast are deliberately intensifying the crisis for political purposes. Citing public comments by ex-militant leader Asari Dokubo, Nwosu said claims about external involvement have not been refuted or investigated by the authorities.
Recalling a personal threat he received during preparations for a memorial lecture in Onitsha, he lamented the assassination of Dr. Chike Akunyili, widower of the late Dora Akunyili, as part of a pattern seemingly aimed at destabilizing the region.
In addition to calling for Kanu’s immediate release, Prof. Nwosu criticized Southeast governors for failing to work together to unlock the region’s vast economic potential. He urged them to revive the South East Development Initiative (SEDI), a blueprint he said could drive collective growth, much like the successful economic strategies under the late Premier M.I. Okpara during the First Republic.
“We have some of the finest economists — Soludo, Osita Ogbu, and Kalu Idika Kalu — yet the five states can’t come together to pursue regional development,” Nwosu lamented. “When we unite, we are stronger.”
On Kanu’s detention, Nwosu described it as “painful and senseless,” urging the federal government to obey court rulings and release him immediately.
“Anyone who believes that releasing Kanu will instantly spark a Biafran resurgence is mistaken. Release him and let the law take its course. Continued detention is simply a show of defiance against the rule of law,” he said.
Prof. Nwosu concluded by stressing that national unity and justice must prevail if Nigeria is to overcome its current challenges.
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