From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Pan-Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-political organisation, Coalition of South East Professionals Network in Nigeria and Diaspora (CSEPNND), has petitioned the United Kingdom and Israel, through the Federal Government to repatriate Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to face the law over an alleged treasonable felony.
CSEPNND’s National President Prof. Madumere Chika and National Secretary, Mazi Anayo Uchemba, in a petitioned dated January 8th, 2021, released Saturday, and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that their decision were predicated on Kanu’s abuse of his citizenship capable of casting Nigeria in a bad light before the international community.
Chika described Kanu as a fugitive who escaped the law after being granted bail following his arrest and detention over treasonable felony and appealed to the United Kingdom and the Nation of Israel to cooperate with the Nigerian government to bring back Kanu to Nigeria to continue trial.
“We are constrained to write this open letter to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately write the Government of the United Kingdom, requesting the extradition of our fugitive son and founder of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to Nigeria to continue his trial over alleged treasonable felony.
“Since Kanu escaped justice to the United Kingdom where he has another citizenship, we have watched him on some video clips he posted on the Internet where he did not only boast that he would not submit himself before the trial that was abruptly suspended due to his sudden disappearance from the country but also threatened that he would destroy our dear country.
“He has no doubt,followed the threat with a number of attacks on the country apart from the formation of a militia group which information at our disposal suggest he has armed to the teeth to fight the Nigerian Government.
“We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria being ably led by President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, whose ministry deals with all extradition issues, to immediately forward extradition request on Kanu to the UK for action,” he said.
He further called on the United Kingdom and Israel, to deny the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the freedom of using the privilege of his foreign citizenship to incite violence against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We call on both the UK and Israel not to be seen to be facilitating the inglorious activities of a fugitive in Nigeria. They can prove their opposition to the activities of Kanu by flushing him out now.
“We reiterate that we have reached a point where we expect the UK not to severe the ties that exist between it and Nigeria. We advise it to revisit its ill-advised choice of keeping a terrorist against the Nigerian state.
“Having worked and contributed effortlessly to see Nigeria at its present state, we believe that the United Kingdom and Israel would not want to see Nigeria a shattered state.
“It is in this regard that we are strongly appealing to them to assist in the extradition of Kanu, whose activities have been against the unity of Nigeria.
“As Igbo sons and daughters, we wish to inform Nigerians that Kanu is alone in his cessation project and has no reasonable person behind him,” he said.
He added that even though the South East region had not had its fair share in the one Nigeria project, adding that the pursuit of inclusive government must be channelled through appropriate lawful means.
“Though our people are highly marginalized and deserve the right for agitation, but that must be done legally and by the appropriate people not a deviant young man like Nnamdi Kanu who is out for his selfish interest.
“Kanu has disobeyed this valid court order, which has not been set aside, either by the trial court, or by the Court of Appeal.
“Kanu has always lamented the treatment of people from the South East zone by the Nigerian government and by other Nigerians. This formed the reason for his agitation for a country of his own.
“However, while Kanu has a right to legally clamour for whatever he believes in, he should also know that the Igbo Nation has recognized spokespersons in the forms of the governors, legislators and Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group. Any serious statements are supposed to come from these people after extensive consultations,” he concluded.
