Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment last week after he
was found guilty on five of the seven terrorism charges filed against him by
the federal government.

Before the judgement, James Omotosho, the presiding judge,
ordered Kanu out of the courtroom over what he described as “unruly conduct.”

Hours after the sentence, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s counsel,
said on X that his client had been transferred from the detention facility of
the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja to a correctional centre in
Sokoto.

‘PRESIDENTIAL ACT OF MERCY NEEDED’

After a meeting on Monday at the national assembly complex,
42 members of the south-east caucus resolved to appeal directly to Tinubu on
behalf of Kanu.

The lawmakers argued that Kanu’s imprisonment is worsening
the fragile security situation in the south-east region.

Reading a communiqué issued after the meeting, Idu Igariwey,
lawmaker representing the Afikpo north and south consituency of Ebonyi, said
the caucus respects the judiciary but believes the matter now requires a
political approach.

The communiqué, titled ‘Appeal for a political and
humanitarian resolution in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’, urged Tinubu to
prioritise national stability above strict legal interpretation.

“The south-east caucus of the house of representatives met
today, November 24, 2025, in Abuja, to review the recent judgement in the case
of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to assess its implications for peace, security, and
stability in the south-east region, and the nation at large,” Igariwey said.

“As elected representatives, we reaffirm our total respect
for the judiciary and the processes that led to the conviction.

“However, our responsibility also requires us to speak with
clarity when a legal matter evolves into a broader national concern with
serious humanitarian, economic, and security consequences.”

He said the caucus resolved to ask the president to consider
a “political and humanitarian intervention” under section 175 of the
Constitution to grant Kanu a pardon.

According to the caucus members, Kanu’s continued
incarceration has intensified agitation in the region.

“The continued detention of Mazi Kanu has contributed
significantly to tension and agitation in the south-east,” Igariwey said.

“Despite numerous calls for calm, the atmosphere remains
strained.

“A presidential act of mercy at this time has the potential
to de-escalate tensions, restore normalcy, and reduce the cycle of security
operations and civil resistance.”

He noted that the south-east region has endured significant
social and economic disruption.

“Beyond its political nature, this matter has taken a deep
emotional toll on families, communities, and the general population,” he said.

“The south-east has experienced profound social disruptions
— closed markets, interrupted schooling, reduced commercial activity, and
fear.”

He said caucus members all agreed that a political
resolution would ease these burdens and restore normal life in the region.

Igariwey said Nigeria has a history of using presidential
pardon to heal divisions.

“Nigeria has, in critical moments in its history, relied on
presidential magnanimity to heal divisions and consolidate peace,” he said.

“Indeed, the authors of our constitution conceived of
section 175 in anticipation that the bare dictates of the law may sometimes
prove insufficient in tackling complex legal issues that are better handled
politically via presidential discretion.”

He said a presidential pardon for Kanu would send a message
of inclusiveness and national unity.

The lawmaker added that such a gesture would create room for
broader engagement between the federal government and stakeholders in the
region.

The caucus also urged residents of the south-east to remain
calm and law-abiding.