By Adadareporters
Former president Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu despite his acquittal and discharge by Nigeria’s Court of Appeal is his agenda to fuel insecurity in Igboland.
Barr Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s special counsel, stated this weekend. Kanu is leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. He is being held at the custody of the Department of State Services in Abuja since 2021 when he was renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria. He is accused of running a proscribed organization, treason and jumping bail. Court of Appeal, in October last year, ruled that the manner Kanu was arrested in Kenya while travelling as a British citizen and brought to Nigeria amounted to extra-ordinary rendition. The court discharged and acquitted him but former president Buhari ignored the ruling.
Ejimakor, while bemoaning Buhari’s disregard to the rule of law, described as ‘baffling’ the manner President Bola Tinubu is repeating the same mistake made by Buhari on Kanu.
According to him, “Buhari’s rendition/detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his violent suppression of dissent in South East were part of his broader agenda to fuel insecurity in Igboland. It’s baffling that a smarter President Tinubu has allowed this to continue by not releasing MNK. It’s a vicious cycle.”
Our correspondent reports that since Kanu’s detention, there have been violent agitations for his release by his faithful, including Monday sit-at-home which has collapsed businesses in South East on Mondays. Crimes have also risen in the region since then, leading to loss of lives and property.
