Entrepreneur Chigozie Nnabugwu has called on the Nigerian government to execute detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, claiming that his death would help restore peace and stability in Nigeria's South-East.
Nnabugwu made the remarks during an appearance on News Central TV's Breakfast Xtra programme.
Speaking on the security situation in the South-East, he argued that violence in the region has declined following the arrests of prominent separatist figures. He claimed that Kanu's continued influence remains a factor in the unrest.
"The time they arrested Nnamdi Kanu, it was like up and down. The time they arrested Simon Ekpa, it reduced by about 50 per cent. The time Nnamdi Kanu was convicted, it reduced to about 10 per cent. That's what we are battling now," he said.
Nnabugwu went further to urge the Nigerian government to kill Kanu, saying he believes it would bring lasting peace to the region.
"If Nnamdi Kanu is dead today, if the government of Nigeria will kill Nnamdi Kanu, trust me, normalcy will start coming. That's all every Igbo man prays for," he stated.
He also maintained that military operations alone cannot end insecurity in the South-East. According to him, religious leaders, intellectuals and community stakeholders have a role to play in addressing misinformation and educating residents on the consequences of violence.
"I want all these organisations in Nigeria, the Catholic bishops, Pentecostal pastors and educated people, to come on air and educate our people on the consequences of what we are doing. That is the only way to achieve this," he said.
Nnabugwu added that security agencies have made efforts to curb violence but insisted that public enlightenment remains essential.
"The military are not the Holy Spirit that is everywhere. Bombs are still killing people in my community. The military have done a lot, but these people keep planting them again. The only way to solve this problem is to let every Igbo man know the truth and stand by the truth," he added.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed IPOB movement, was taken into the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2021 following his rendition from Kenya to Nigeria. In November 2025, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on terrorism-related charges linked to his separatist activities and is currently serving his sentence in a Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Sokoto State.
The comments by Nnabugwu have drawn attention because of their call for the execution of a serving inmate and their implications for the ongoing debate over security and political tensions in the South-East.
