Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday paid a visit to the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, at the Kuje Prison, Abuja.

The visit is believed to be part of a ‘mediation process’ between the Federal Government and the IPOB leader over the agitation for the restoration of the Republic of Biafra.

Indication to this effect emerged yesterday when the former Abia State governor during his visit to Kanu highlighted the need for an amicable resolution of the feud.

Although the meeting between the two lasted for about an hour, the details of their discussion was, however, not made public but Kalu later told journalists that the subject of their discussion was ‘personal’ to both of them.

Kalu, who said the Biafra leader does not belong in Kuje Prison, described him as his “brother” and stated that his freedom was of “utmost concern” to him. “Today, I visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Kuje Prison and we engaged in a very long discussion.

Kanu is my brother and a son of the soil. He shouldn’t be where he is because Kuje Prison is not his home. 

"It is therefore my utmost concern to see him regain his freedom like every other Nigerian,” Kalu wrote.

“My visit to the IPOB leader in prison was in compliance with the United Nations Charter, which stipulates that a prisoner had the rights to receive visitors,” he said.

The former governor further noted that it was not out of place for him to seek to know about the welfare of someone he regarded as a younger brother.

On whether he was well disposed to standing as a mediator between the IPOB leader and the Federal Government, Kalu stated that the IPOB leader had given him the go ahead to talk on his behalf, because of the implicit trust and confidence he has in him. 

Kalu also said he had accepted the responsibility as someone who always sought the peace and progress of his people.

“Visiting him is in compliance with the United Nations Charter that anybody that is in prison, can be visited. I decided to come and see him, as my younger brother, and as a former governor of Abia State.

You know, once a governor, I think I have the responsibility to continue to do the job of protecting the citizens of my state and constituency. So, that is why am here.

“The charter is what I have come to talk to him about and I believe that he and his supporters will listen. I discussed a lot with him and you can see I have been there for over an hour.

I will visit him again and you can see that he was calming down when I was talking to him,” Kalu said. 

The former governor said he was optimistic that talking with the Federal Government would yield good results because, according to him, the present administration has a human face and will accede to any request that will engender peace in the land.

“Talking to the Federal government on his behalf is a possibility. As a member of the ruling party, I can use my positions to talk to the government because those in government are human beings like us and we are all Nigerians.

It actually depends on the two parties. 

"If both parties are genuinely ready for peace, we can reach a common ground and achieve lasting peace,” Kalu said. He further assured that the IPOB leader will not reject the outcome of his mediation with the government, stressing that Kanu, being a “ gentleman” will definitely comply with whatever is the outcome.

Kalu, who expressed reservations on the proposed secret court trial, which Kanu and his supporters had opposed, said he could not decide for the court the process it would adopt in dispensing a matter that was before it.

He explained that though the practice of protecting certain witnesses was not new in law, the parties might not even get to that stage of secret trial as an out of court settlement was a possibility if the current mediation effort was allowed to reach a logical conclusion.

New Telegraph