Bianca Ojukwu urges calm after Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction, calls for dialogue and unified response

By Johnson Arua

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has appealed for calm across the country especially within the Igbo community following the conviction and sentencing of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on terrorism charges.

In a statement shared on her official X handle at the weekned, Bianca described the verdict as “difficult but unavoidable,” noting that she had just returned from a monitoring assignment in Zanzibar, Tanzania, for the National Tripartite Advisory Council.

“The outcome is not what we anticipated nor prayed for, but a reality that is now upon us,” she wrote.

She urged Ndigbo and Nigerians in general to refrain from actions that could inflame tensions either within the country or among diaspora communities. According to her, the moment calls for restraint, reflection, and responsibility.

“There comes a time in the history of a people when there is a need for calm. I therefore advise Ndigbo, and Nigerians as a whole, that such a period is now. All actions which could be deemed incendiary, and which might escalate the situation at home or in the diaspora, should be curtailed,” she cautioned.

She also called for unity among Igbo leaders and stakeholders, including governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers, clergy, political leaders, and business figures, urging them to intensify engagement and coordinate a peaceful, strategic response.

She stressed that dialogue remains the most effective route to resolving the crisis, warning against confrontational approaches.

“The most effective path toward resolution of this crisis is dialogue. The quest for mutual coexistence of Ndigbo in Nigeria with justice, equity, and dignity requires our collective resolve. Maintaining peace and order is essential to ensuring the security of all citizens, regardless of tribe or creed,” she stated.

Reassuring both Nigerians and the international community, the minister maintained that viable political and diplomatic options are still on the table to reduce tensions and prevent further societal strain. She called for a unified regional effort to pursue a political resolution to Kanu’s case.

“All stakeholders in the South-East must come together for a joint engagement, sincerely to seek a political resolution to this matter,” she added.

Kanu was convicted on November 20 by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on seven counts of terrorism. He was handed life imprisonment on five counts, 20 years on one, and five years on another, with all sentences to run concurrently. Justice Omotosho rejected the death penalty, citing international standards and the broader interests of justice.

As reactions continue to pour in across the South-East, Odumegwu-Ojukwu appealed to the public to remain calm, assuring that leadership at various levels is working toward de-escalation and a long-term solution.