The President of the South East Veterans Welfare Association, Brigadier General Austin Kalu Egwuagwu, mni (Rtd.), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider granting a presidential pardon to detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as a necessary step toward lasting peace in the South East.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that Egwuagwu made the appeal while speaking at the South East Security Summit held in Umuahia, Abia State, an event that brought together stakeholders to deliberate on collaborative strategies for strengthening security and regional stability.
The retired Army General called on South East governors to jointly approach the President on Kanu’s case, insisting that dialogue and reconciliation must form a central part of any genuine effort to resolve insecurity in the region.
“On the issue of the IPOB man, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I want to also plead with the governors. Mr. President, I know he can listen to them, to grant him presidential pardon,” Egwuagwu said.
He extended his appeal to young people currently held in correctional facilities over security-related allegations, urging a review of their cases and the release of those found not to have committed any offence. According to him, security built on force alone cannot endure, stressing that authorities must equally confront unemployment, displacement, youth frustration and long-standing unresolved grievances driving instability in the South East.
CDA News Nigeria reports that the retired General further proposed the creation of a regional police structure for the South East, arguing that it would be a more effective arrangement at this stage than separate policing systems domiciled under individual state governments.
“I will suggest that we create a regional police. That will bring the regions, just like the South East now is talking about it, having one regional organisation of the police,” he said.
Egwuagwu also urged the five South East governors to set up a coordinated security fund and to actively engage retired military, police, and Department of State Services personnel in supporting community-based security initiatives, saying veterans bring valuable operational experience that could strengthen training, intelligence gathering, and cooperation between communities and conventional security agencies.
“There is need for them to come together and have a fund and bring us, the veterans who are retired. We have experience; you can use us,” he stated.
He further called for a stronger role for traditional rulers in community security, tasking them with working closely with residents and security agencies to identify emerging threats and provide timely intelligence. The retired General equally threw his weight behind full local government autonomy, arguing that functional councils with direct access to their resources would be better placed to address grassroots challenges, generate opportunities, and prevent social problems from escalating into security threats.
On the growing concern around youth restiveness, Egwuagwu advocated for increased mentorship, vocational training, and economic opportunities, warning that unchecked frustration and unemployment could push young people toward crime and other social vices. He also called for a review of the federal character system to strike a better balance between national inclusion, merit, and equal opportunity.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that Egwuagwu maintained that achieving sustainable peace in the South East would require a blend of effective security operations, dialogue, reconciliation, economic empowerment, grassroots intelligence, and stronger collaboration among governments, security agencies, traditional institutions, veterans, and communities.
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