President Muhammadu Buhari has again been asked to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to comply with the Appeal Court Order and release the embattled leaders of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnnamdi Kanu.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Sunday, urged the Nigerian leader to consider releasing the Biafra agitator as Christmas gifts to people of the South-East.
The statement signed by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, asked the President to be a man of his word by leaving the judiciary to decide on Kanu’s fate without any political interference or vendetta.
The rights group expressed optimism that the release of Kanu will restore peace and stability to South-East Nigeria and restore the economic growth of the zone.
HURIWA also lampooned governors from the South-East over their lackadaisical attitude towards mounting pressure on President Buhari to free Kanu from detention.
News360 info recalls that President Buhari in May this year, said a political solution to Kanu’s travails was impossible and insisted that only the court would decide his fate.
“I have listened carefully to the various appeals from the elders to the traditional leaders regarding a wide range of options, and as I have said previously, this matter remains in the full purview of the court where it will be properly adjudicated,” Buhari had promised.
However, despite a recent court order in favour of the Biafra agitator, the Department of State Services (DSS) have continued to detained Kanu in Abuja.
Presidential Candidates Have All Show Interest In Dialogue With Agitators
News360 info understands that the major presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections, including Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, have opined that they will explore dialogue to end secessionist agitations in the South-East and restore the economy of the Igbo people which has been marred by untold violence and activities of unknown gunmen.
In a statement, however, on Sunday, HURIWA said it was as though a norm, all the major presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential election have adopted negotiated settlement to end agitations by IPOB and other secessionist groups like that of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.
“This is a clear signal to President Muhammadu Buhari that he has got it all wrong seven years ago since he opted for only military methodology and extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu and lastly refusal to comply with Appeal court’s decision freeing Nnamdi Kanu. The President should honour his words and order Malami to heed the Appeal Court’s verdict for Kanu’s release. Anything aside from this shows that Buhari and his regime have no respect for the rule of law and this is not surprising based on his antecedent as a military general.
This is the most auspicious time for Buhari to make amends and release Nnamdi Kanu immediately as his Christmas gift and one of his government’s major parting gifts to Nigerians and generations unborn because of the potential that the release of Nnamdi will restore peace and stability to South-East of Nigeria and restore economic growth of the region,” HURIWA.
