Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, has urged the Federal Government to adopt a political solution in resolving the ongoing legal issues surrounding the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement released on Tuesday, the former governor said Nigeria must embrace a peace-driven approach that restores calm, fosters integration, and addresses the long-standing grievances in the South East. According to him, history has shown that purely legal or force-driven methods rarely resolve socio-political agitations rooted in injustice, marginalisation, and economic imbalance.
Dickson aligned his position with growing national calls for dialogue, citing global and local precedents where political settlements proved more effective than punitive actions. He referenced Nelson Mandela and Isaac Adaka Boro as individuals whose struggles were eventually resolved through political understanding, rather than judicial confrontation.
“Legal processes do not address separatist agitations that are political and economic in nature,” he said. “Historically, arrests, trials, convictions, and even executions do not solve these kinds of agitations. After the legal processes, what must follow is a sincere and holistic political solution that will create public confidence and sustain patriotism by all.”
The Senator pointed to the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme introduced under the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration as a model for conflict resolution, noting that meaningful engagement and rehabilitation helped restore stability in a region once plagued by militancy. He also recalled how former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, pardoned and absorbed Isaac Adaka Boro into the federal forces, describing it as an act of leadership that saved the nation from deeper crisis.
Dickson urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to adopt a statesmanlike stance by initiating a dialogue-driven peace process that encourages Kanu and other agitators to renounce violence. He stressed that this approach must also address deeper concerns of injustice, imbalance, and exclusion across Nigeria, laying the foundation for a restructured nation.
“At this time, it is the duty of President Tinubu to begin a peace process that will get Nnamdi Kanu and the tendency he represents to renounce violence,” he said. “We need a new Nigeria founded on fairness, inclusion, and justice for all.”
A former police officer and Attorney General, Dickson condemned violence in the South East and terrorist activities in the North, expressing sympathy for victims across the country. He called on security agencies to ensure Kanu’s humane treatment while both legal and political processes evolve.
Warning against opening new “battlefronts” amid the nation’s security strain, Dickson pledged support for the President in mobilising efforts against terrorism and banditry. He also appealed to South East youths to remain calm and channel their concerns through political engagement.
As Chairman of the South-South Senate Caucus, he said he is already consulting widely with colleagues to advance the cause of restructuring. “I am available for any engagement that can lead to a Nigeria that works for all,” he added.
