[JUST IN]: US-Based Igbo Groups Hail Enugu Monarch For Confronting Tinubu, Demand Kanu’s Release (Full Details)

• US-based Igbo advocacy groups have praised an Enugu monarch for openly confronting President Bola Tinubu, while calling on traditional rulers across Igboland to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

A coalition of US-based advocacy organisations, including the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Ambassadors for Self-Determination, and Rising Sun Foundation, has commended an Enugu monarch for what it described as a bold stance on the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

In a joint press statement dated February 20, 2026, the groups praised His Royal Majesty, Eze Lawrence Agubuzu, for confronting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and demanding the immediate release of Kanu or his return to Kenya.

The groups described the monarch’s action as courageous, stating that many traditional rulers in Igboland had failed to speak up on the issue. They also acknowledged Eze Chukwuemeka Eri as one of the few leaders who have publicly addressed what they termed injustice against the Igbo people.

According to the statement, the continued detention of Kanu represents a deep source of pain and grievance, and the silence of several traditional rulers amounts to complicity.

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The groups criticised what they described as a lack of leadership among some prominent monarchs, including the Obi of Onitsha and Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, accusing them of failing to defend the interests, dignity, and rights of their people.

They urged all Igbo traditional rulers to speak out with one voice, stressing that the time for silence and cautious statements had passed. The statement warned that history would judge leaders who fail to act in the face of perceived injustice.

Emphasising the need for decisive leadership, the organisations said the actions of Eze Agubuzu and Eze Eri demonstrate that courage and moral authority remain essential in defending the interests of the people.

The statement was jointly signed by Dr. Sylvester Onyia of AVID, Chief Evans Nwankwo of Ambassadors for Self-Determination, and Dr. Maxwell Dede of the Rising Sun Foundation.