By Seun Opejobi South-East governors announced on Tuesday that they will interface with the federal government for the release of Ma...
By Seun Opejobi
South-East governors announced on Tuesday that they will
interface with the federal government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
This formed part of the communiqué issued after a meeting of
the Forum in Enugu.
At the meeting, which also had other stakeholders in
attendance, were governors Hope Uzodinma, Dr. Alex Otti, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo,
Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru of Imo, Abia, Anambra and Ebonyi states, respectively,
as well as the host, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.
The move comes after Kanu, who is the leader of the
Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, expressed willingness to get the Nigerian
Government to agree to an out-of-court-settlement.
On June 19, 2024, Kanu who is facing trial charges bordering
on terrorism had through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor informed the Federal High
Court in Abuja of his intentions to seek reconciliation with the Federal
Government.
Ejimakor had informed the court that he had discussed the
out-of-court settlement with the counsel of the Federal Government, Adegboyega
Awomolo.
However, Awomolo, who told the court that he had no
instruction of his client to embark on any negotiations with the defendant,
said: “I told him to go to the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, who has
the power. If he is interested in negotiating he should go there, his office is
just here.”
But Justice Binta Nyako observed that the court has no
problem if the parties want to discuss negotiation, urging Kanu to approach the
AGF who is the proper person to negotiate with.
Similarly, about 50 members of the House of Representatives
from different parts of Nigeria and political parties known as concerned federal
lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South East have appealed to President
Bola Tinubu to invoke section 174 of the constitution of Nigeria, 1999 (as
amended) and section 107(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, to
ensure Kanu’s release.
The lawmakers appealed to President Tinubu to commence a
presidential peace initiative to address all issues and challenges bedevilling
the southeast region of Nigeria. These were contained in a 3 page letter signed
by the lawmakers, dated June 19, 2024 and addressed to Mr President.
Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 election,
Peter Obi has also backed calls for Kanu’s release, noting that it would foster
peace.
Giving his views on the continued detention of Kanu, Obi
said: “I don’t see any reason for his continued detention, especially as the
courts have granted him bail. Government must obey the court.
“Rule of law is an intricate asset that we must cherish and
live with. I use this opportunity to plead with the government to ensure that
all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed with. We are
in a democracy and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not
within the law.”
Kanu should sign bond
of peace – Lawyer, Idam
On his part, activist lawyer, Madubuachi Idam described the
move by the IPOB leader to seek an out-of-court settlement with the Nigerian
Government as the right move and not cowardice.
Idam stressed that such a move would avail Kanu the
opportunity to voice out his grievances to the Nigerian Government and table
his demands at the negotiation table.
Speaking with DAILY POST, the constitutional lawyer said:
“Asking for an out-of-court settlement as the one being asked by Nnamdi Kanu is
not an act of cowardice neither is it a sign of weakness.
“Kanu is not at war with the Nigerian state, he has no
problem with the Nigerian state. Kanu is agitating to be free from Nigeria. It
should not be misconstrued that he’s afraid of the Nigerian state.
“Kanu opting for out-of-court settlement is the right thing
to do, it’s an opportunity to inform the state and explain his agitation.
“It’s an opportunity to vent his grievance and table his
demands before the state if it will be met on a negotiation table without the
need for him to continue the agitation.
“For me, it’s the right step he has taken. It’s well thought
and prudent for him to have toed that line and I encourage the Nigerian state
to accept that application.
“Kanu is a citizen as far as Nigeria has not broken up, and
when a citizen who controls a lot of people is making a demand, he must be
listened to. His continued detention is not in the interest of anybody.
“Having said that, the current Attorney General of the
Federation is a thorough lawyer who understands what it means to hold the state
together. He understands that negotiations with the defendant in accordance
with the Federal High Court rules are encouraged by law.”
The constitutional lawyer noted that Kanu should be made to
sign a bond that part of the settlement would include preaching peace if
released.
He stressed that the Biafra agitator should not be seen as
an enemy of the state.
Idam added: “Kanu’s continued detention serves no purpose,
it’s using a sledgehammer to kill an ant, it’s needless and unwarranted.
“If Kanu was tried by the Nigerian government the first time
he was arrested in 2017, this tension would have been averted. The state
popularized Kanu’s issue, he’s only asking to be free, let my people go.
“He should not be misconstrued as an enemy of the state.
Kanu’s release will douse the criminal activities in the Southeast. What will
they be agitating?
“Kanu should be encouraged to sign a bond that he will
preach peace if released and I will encourage the state to toll the line. He
had said severally that people should stop killings in the Southeast, he had
even preached it in the open court that those killing are enemies of the
Southeast.
“If his agitation has nothing to do with killing people and
insecurity, so why should anybody be afraid that if he’s released, insecurity
will continue?
“Kanu has said it by himself and I can tell you that if Kanu
is released today, he will stand by his words and that will be more beneficial
than having him in detention.”
Ohanaeze’s stance on
out-of-court settlement
The National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Alex Ogbonnia,
said a political solution is key, stressing that Kanu’s release would quell
insecurity in the Southeast.
Ogbonia noted that the Biafra agitation was a fundamental
issue and beyond Kanu.
“The issue of Nnamdi Kanu demands a political solution. The
kinetic approach in the Southeast that has created unnecessary tension is not
the solution to the problem.
“The Nigerian government should look into the cause because
Kanu represents what’s happening in the Southeast of Nigeria. For example, the
marginalization of the Southeasterners in the 2023 elections where there was so
much shenanigan.
“Nnamdi Kanu represents all these agitations in the
Southeast, so what he’s saying is that it’s either you treat us equitably in
all fairness or you allow us to go; and it’s a simple message.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is saying political solution that requires
non-kinetic approach, there are some kind of statement from the government that
will lead to celebration galore in the Southeast.
“Releasing Kanu will surely quell the insecurity in the
Southeast and the Monday sit-at-home will stop. The agitation for Biafra is no
longer about Kanu, it’s very fundamental; the agitation is a reaction to
stimulus,” he told DAILY POST.
Court should be
allowed to decide Kanu’s fate – Arewa Youths
Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, thinks otherwise.
The group is of the opinion that the court and not the
Nigerian Government should be allowed to decide Kanu’s fate based on proven
evidence.
National President of AYCF, Yerima Shettima said the IPOB
leader should be made to face the “music” of his action if found guilty by the
court or released if proven innocent.
Speaking with DAILY POST, Shettima said: “It’s within the
government’s confines to look at it, if they want to settle out-of-court or
they want the court to continue.
“For me, I would have been comfortable if the court decided
his fate at the end of the day based on what is before the court, they should
do the needful.
“Kanu should face the music if he’s found wanting or be
allowed to go if proven innocent. His punishment should serve as a deterrent to
those who think that they can disobey the law and take impunity as a right
either deliberately or ignorantly.
“However, if the government decides to settle out-of-court
then so be it but at least, we all know now that nobody can do anything and get
away with it.”
Nigeria should amend
constitution to make room for self-determination
Shettima also urged the Nigerian government to amend the
country’s constitution to allow for self-determination.
According to the AYCF National President, people should be
allowed to decide if they want to become Biafra or remain as Nigerians.
“The proposed settlement is within the law and it’s for the
government to deem it fit, necessary if that is what they want.
“Some of us are products of struggles and I can tell you
that you can agitate for whatever you want from religion to tribe but when it
becomes critical that somebody has to lose his life, that is no longer an
agitation; it’s something else. And this has been our worry and fear.
“The right to self-determination is guaranteed under
international law and Nigeria is a signatory to that agreement, unfortunately,
we signed a charter but locally our constitution does not reflect it,
self-determination is alien to our constitution.
“At the same time, a referendum is not in our constitution.
These are areas I feel if the government is sincere we should be able to amend
the laws to reflect these two key issues.
“If you sign an agreement that you believe in self-determination
by the international standard, locally it should reflect it and that is why
today we have an issue where there is no way of exit in the country.
“Somebody can’t wake up and say we should divide
corporately, it’s not reflected in our constitution. They should amend the
constitution so that you can’t force people to stay with you, there should be
an exit through referendum,” he stated.
Kanu, Ekpa have no
control over Biafra agitation, criminals have taken over struggle
Shettima also observed that Kanu and the self-acclaimed
Biafra Prime Minister, Simon Ekpa have lost control over the agitation.
“They say it’s easier to destroy than to build; when they
started this agitation, they never envisaged that they would be consumed.
“Even if you release Kanu and bring Ekpa to beg for pardon,
they can’t control this madness anymore because criminals have cashed into it
in the name of agitation.
“How does agitation become kidnapping, looting, robbery,
killing innocent people? It’s not done anywhere.
“This is a criminal act and they should be dealt with as
criminals. Whether you release Kanu or not, he has no control because if he
did, with all he has been saying, killing would have subsided.
“Can you say in all honesty that these criminals in the
Southeast are listening to what he’s saying? They are not.
“They engage in all sorts of criminality in the name of
Biafra struggle, sit-at-home and all sorts.
“I don’t think Kanu will be safe if released today, going by
what we are seeing. It has become a criminal activity and all of us must come
out to condemn this act,” Shettima cautioned.
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