- ..He Must Face Additional Charges — CNG
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) have commended the federal Government for arresting and repatriating the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria.
The forum charged the Federal Government to strictly keep to the rule of law in prosecuting the IPOB leader in order to demonstrate to Kanu and his collaborators that Nigeria is not a failed state as perceived.
The CNG said, Kanu must in addition to the pending case of treasonable felony brought against him, should now face charges of incitement to violence and killings of people of other ethnicities and security personnel.
Reacting to Kanu’s re-arrest in a statement issued through its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, the ACF lamented that Kanu has benefitted from collaboration with some Nigerians and international arms’ dealers with the aim to cause a war and break up the country.
According to ACF, “We know that Nnamdi Kanu has no respect for the country called Nigeria and has vowed to destroy the country. Sadly, he enjoys collaboration of some Nigerians who for some reasons want the country destroyed.
“He also enjoys the support of international arms dealers who know that he has the capacity to cause a war to break out in Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy.
“Given the complex international & national issues involved in this case we call on the government to handle the matter with care. The best way out is to keep strictly to the rule of law. Kanu and his collaborators must be made to understand that Nigeria is not a failed state and the rule of law still exists here,” ACF said.
In its own statement, the Coalition of Northern Groups said, it received the news of the arrest and repatriation of ‘the fugitive rebel’, Nnamdi with mixed feelings of apprehension and appreciation.
According to the Coalition’s spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, “on one hand, we commend the effort of the federal government and the agencies that made this possible particularly the International Police and authorities of the United Kingdom for honouring their obligations with Nigeria.
“On another hand, we remain apprehensive until the full course of justice takes effect. Kanu as we all know, has a pending trial for treasonable felony and jumping bail. In addition, he must now face additional charges of incitement to violence and killings of people of other ethnicities particularly northerners, security personnel as a result of his open incitement.
“More importantly, we don’t see Kanu’s arrest affecting the issue of Biafra. While he faces trial hopefully, the CNG is insisting that this is right time to tackle the Biafran issue once and for all.
“Nobody should make the mistake of assuming that the arrest is anywhere near the end of the Biafran affair. We stand our ground that a referendum must be held to determine this and all other agitations for self-determination from any part of the country,” CNG said.
