Jewish religion practitioners protest, seek Kanu's freedom

Practitioners of Jewish religion in the south east and South South parts of Nigeria have staged a peaceful protest in Umuahia, Abia state where they prayed and demanded for the immediate release of one of their colleagues and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu who is a Jewish religion practitioner has been in the DSS detention for four years, since 2021 after he was extraordinarily renditioned back to Nigeria to face prosecution for demanding for sessions of South east and South South states from Nigeria.

Their protest came barely 48 hours after Igbo elders staged a similar peaceful protest in front of Abia Government House Umuahia.

The Jewish worshipers held intensive prayer session at the Afaraukwu Umuahia family house of Kanu, seeking divine intervention over his fate.

They urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to heed the growing appeals from across the country and free the IPoB leader, and also urged Gov. Alex Otti of Abia state to collaborate with other South East Governors to prevail on the President to release Kanu.

According to them, the President will listen to South East Governors , if they unite as a force and press for Kanu’s release.

The Judaism adherents, also prayed “for return to normalcy in all the communities ravaged by Fulani herdsmen and bandit attacks”.

During the solidarity rally, the Jewish worshipers displayed placards to express their feeling and demands concerning Kanu.

Some of the placards read: ‘Free Nnamdi Kanu, he committed no crime known to the law’; Eastern Judaism calls for release of Nnamdi Kanu from DSS detention; ‘Obey Court order Tinubu’; ‘Free Nnamdi Kanu’, among others.

They argued that Kanu did nothing to warrant his persecution and urged President Tinubu to give consider Kanu’s release as a necessary step to unite the country.

Speaking on behalf of the worshipers, the Deputy National Rabbi “of Biafra land, Rabbi Okezie Anosike, said Kanu should be treated like the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho.

“What Kanu is demanding is not different from what Sunday Igboho is demanding for the Yoruba nation, and yet he (Igboho) is free”.

Continuing, he said:”We ask President Tinubu to set Kanu free. We ask Governor Otti to do all in his power to bring freedom to Kanu,” he said.

Citing Kanu’s deteriorating health conditions, Anosike urged for urgent action to avoid any worst case scenario.

Speaking also, Ofuji Ekhad, who led the Anambra delegation said that Kanu committed no crime for agitating for self determination for his people.

“There is nothing abnormal in Kanu’s demand for sovereign state of Biafra”, he said adding that self determination is a universally recognised right.

Elder Shahum Ogu from Imo State urged “all political leaders, connected in one way or the other with Kanu’s travails to please have a change of heart and work for his release.

He described Kanu as “a prophet, a messenger of God, who advocates for justice, equity, and people’s rights”, adding that President Tinubu has nothing to lose by setting him free.

Woman leader of the Eastern Judaism and Jewish Community, Mrs Ugochinyere Onuoha, urged President Tinubu not to allow Kanu die in detention.

“We are asking for Kanu’s freedom and asking God to deliver him from the ordeal he is facing,” she said.

Meanwhile, a 12- year old Michael Ndubuisi from Enugu State, went emotional while pleading that President Tinubu should not allow Kanu to die in custody.