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Traditional Ruler Urges Tinubu to Release Nnamdi Kanu

Published

8 months ago

February 17, 2026

South-East monarch urges President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu or return him abroad, warning unrest among youths could escalate

Dr Lawrence Agubuzu, the Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, or return him to Kenya, where he was arrested.

Also read: Nnamdi Kanu’s Family Warns Against Fake Social Media Accounts

Agubuzu made the appeal on Tuesday during the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

The monarch warned that Kanu’s continued detention was fuelling agitation among youths in the South-East and eroding the credibility of traditional rulers.

“The ball is in your court. Bring this man out. If we don’t want him in Nigeria, return him to Kenya or London where they took him from,” Agubuzu told the President.

The summit, themed “The Role of Traditional and Religious Leaders in Advancing the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” was convened to enhance community engagement in health reforms.

It featured the signing of a compact by traditional and religious leaders to champion healthcare delivery.

Agubuzu criticised what he saw as inconsistent unity messaging, referencing the planned conferment of a high traditional honour on Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Igboho.

He stressed that youths in the South-East were agitated and that traditional rulers risked losing credibility if the Kanu issue remained unresolved.

Kanu, 58, a British-Nigerian activist and founder of the proscribed IPOB, was first arrested in Lagos in October 2015 for treasonable felony and has since been involved in one of Nigeria’s most protracted legal cases.

Following his 2025 conviction on terrorism-related charges, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and transferred to the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

Meanwhile, the summit featured addresses from the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and representatives of the World Health Organisation and World Bank.

Also read: Court of Appeal Dismisses Nnamdi Kanu’s Rights Appeal

Initiatives launched included the second cohort of the National Health Fellows programme and a compact to strengthen community participation, transparency, and accountability in healthcare delivery.

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Health

Kenya Releases 20 Ebola Contacts After 21 Days in Quarantine

Published

11 hours ago

October 26, 2026

Peculiar Adirika

Kenya Ebola contacts: 20 people have been released after 21 days in quarantine without symptoms as health authorities continue outbreak monitoring

Kenya has released 20 people linked to its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease after they completed 21 days of quarantine without developing symptoms, as health authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak.

Also read: 2027: Shettima Says Peter Obi Has Nothing to Offer Nigerians

The World Health Organisation’s Regional Office for Africa announced the development on Monday, October 26, 2026, saying the individuals had undergone final health assessments and received counselling on precautions and follow-up care where necessary before reuniting with their families.

Kenya’s Director-General for Health, Dr Patrick Amoth, urged communities to welcome the released individuals without stigma.

“We ask communities to welcome them home warmly,” Amoth said. “Having completed 21 days without symptoms, they pose no risk of infection to anyone.”

The WHO said 98 contacts remained in quarantine as of Monday, while eight contacts had developed symptoms and tested positive for Ebola through laboratory tests.

According to the organisation, all eight individuals were already in quarantine when they developed symptoms and were subsequently transferred to the country’s Ebola treatment centre in Nairobi.

Kenya has recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths since reporting its first imported case on October 6, 2026.

The WHO said all nine cases were linked to the same cluster, with no evidence of wider community transmission at the time of its update.

The organisation said health authorities had traced all 135 contacts, both within Kenya and internationally, by October 22, placing them under quarantine and monitoring.

The WHO continues to support Kenya’s response through coordination, disease surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, case management, infection prevention and control, screening at points of entry, and public health communication.

The WHO Representative to Kenya, Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, said people who completed quarantine had helped protect their families and communities.

“People who complete quarantine have helped protect their families, their communities and the whole country,” she said.

Kimambo also commended Kenya’s Ministry of Health, the Kenya National Public Health Institute, and national and county health teams for responding to new cases.

The WHO said there was no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, but early detection and supportive medical care could improve the chances of recovery.

It advised against travel restrictions, recommending evidence-based measures such as health screening at entry and exit points, surveillance and contact tracing instead.

Also read: 2027: Shettima Says Peter Obi Has Nothing to Offer Nigerians

Although the release of the first 20 contacts marks progress in Kenya’s response, health authorities continue to monitor those still in quarantine and maintain surveillance to identify any further cases promptly.