From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
  South East Caucus of the House of Representatives has charged  President Muhammadu Buhari to utilize the opportunity created by the discharge of Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Court of Appeal to stimulate  national unity, healing, and solidarity.  
The caucus, in a statement entitled, “Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial: Time to Win Peace”, signed by all the South East lawmakers, including the Deputy Minority Leader,  Toby Okechukwu and Deputy Whip, Nkiru Onyejeocha, called for statesmanship on the part of  President Buhari  in line with his promise to Igbo leaders to abide by judicial decision on the matter.
The Court of Appeal had last week discharged Kanu of terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government and ordered his release. However, the government is yet to comply with the judgment.
Nevertheless, caucus, which decried the widespread insecurity facing the entire country and the consequent economic challenges, appealed to President Buhari to toe the path of negotiated solution with guarantees on both sides, on the issue of the IPOB.
The statement read in part: “The South East Caucus of the House of Representatives has noted the unanimous decision of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which discharged the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, of the terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government on the grounds that the trial court lacked jurisdiction due to faulty extradition and extraordinary rendition process.
“The Caucus has also taken cognisance of the reaction of the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN, stating that the Federal Government would explore the legal options before it and communicate to the public, accordingly.
“It is a fact that the country is presently contending with terrorism in the North East; terrorism and banditry in the North West; farmers-headers clashes and banditry in the North Central; abductions and armed attacks in the South West; restiveness and attacks by unknown gunmen in the South East, and abductions, cult wars, vandalisation of oil installations and oil theft in the South South region. No part of the country is spared of violent crimes.
“The combined effect of all these has plunged the nation into untold socio-economic malaise. For the South East, the enforcement of sit-at-home by faceless gunmen on account of Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration even long after IPOB revoked and washed its hands off it has led to wanton loss of human lives, caused disruption of educational and social activities, and unleashed grave economic consequences on the region.”