ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a 2022 Christmas gift to the South-East geopolitical zone.
The group made the call in a in a statement by the HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, on Sunday.
He challenged President Buhari to be a man of his words by leaving the judiciary to decide on Kanu’s fate without any political interference or vendetta.
The group also, asked the president to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to comply with the Appellate Court’s judgement freeing Kanu.
According to HURIWA, the release of Kanu will restore peace and stability to South-East of Nigeria and restore economic growth of the zone.
HURIWA further expressed disappointment and consternation at the nonchalant attitudes of the Governors of the South-East towards mounting pressure on President Buhari to free Kanu from detention.
Recall that in May, Buhari, at a meeting with Ebonyi State Stakeholders’ Forum held at the Government House in Abakaliki, stated that a political solution to Kanu’s travails was impossible and insisted that only the court will 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, about 18 months since his unwarranted detention of Kanu at the DSS custody in Abuja, the IPOB leader has not tasted freedom despite the judgement of the Courts granting him freedom and awarding billions of naira as damages against the Federal Government of Nigeria for his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in mid-2021.
However, the major presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections, including Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have opined that they will explore dialogue to end secessionist agitations in the South-East and also restore the economy of the Igbo people which has been marred by untold violence and activities of unknown gunmen.
Reacting, Onwubiko said: “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.”