The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has reacted to the life imprisonment handed down to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal High Court in Abuja, vowing to intensify a diplomatic strategy aimed at securing his release.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday, November 20, 2025, convicting Kanu on terrorism-related charges — a development that has triggered shock and sorrow across Abia State and the wider South-East.
In a statement personally signed by the governor and released through his media adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Otti revealed that he had already initiated high-level engagements with federal authorities long before the judgment, and would now escalate those efforts since the trial had reached a conclusion.
“While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is free to appeal his conviction, I’m happy to inform you that I have activated and will continue to work on the already agreed strategy until his freedom is secured,” the governor said.
Governor Otti disclosed that during a visit to Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) earlier in the year, he communicated details of a political and diplomatic resolution framework being discussed with “the highest authorities” in the country.
He criticised what he described as the federal government’s mishandling of the early stages of the IPoB crisis.
The governor argued that poor management allowed tensions to escalate into the current situation.
He insisted that political dialogue remained the only sustainable path to peace.
“The poor management of the IPOB issue at the incubation stage created the problem we have today; hence we cannot allow it to linger and create a bigger monstrous situation for us,” Otti said.
The governor cautioned politicians against exploiting Kanu’s trial for political gain and urged residents of Abia and the entire South-East to remain calm, avoid inflammatory remarks and support the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Otti recalled his long-standing advocacy for dialogue, referencing his 2017 condemnation of the military invasion of Kanu’s family home during “Operation Python Dance,” which he described at the time as an excessive use of force.
According to him, engagements with federal authorities since December 2023 produced initial agreements dependent on the swift conclusion of Kanu’s trial — agreements he now expects to move forward.
“I have no doubt that with the assurances I have received from the Federal Government, a resolution is in sight and Mazi Kanu will receive his freedom,” he said.
Governor Otti reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing a peaceful, negotiated solution aimed at restoring lasting stability to the South-East.
