Delight Chinedum

Leader of Biafra Independence Movement and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (BIM-MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike has again expressed his displeasure over continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu after the Court of Appeal’s order for his release.

Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been in detention since June 2021, when he was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria.

He initially faced 15 charges, but eight were struck out by the Federal High Court in Abuja in April 2022. The remaining charges include treasonable felony and terrorism charges.

Kanu’s detention has been marked by controversy, with some arguing that it is a case of political persecution. The Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him in October 2022, but the Supreme Court set aside this judgment and ordered him to face trial.

Chief Uwazuruike in a telephone interview declared that the continued detention of Kanu was a clear indication of Federal Government’s hatred for the Igbo.

He argued that no reason whatsoever could justify government’s disobedience to the Court of Appeal’s order to release Kanu. He said instead of government to do the needful they rather went to Federal High Court, Abuja a lower Court, to start fresh proceedings against Kanu.

“Even if the Federal High Court convicts Nnamdi Kanu tomorrow, the matter will still go to Court of Appeal or even if the case did not go the way Federal Government wants it, the FG will still go to Court of Appeal. I really don’t know why the FG is shameless in this trial.

“If the FG didn’t like the decision of the Appeal Court, they should obey it because it is their own court. Even if the Supreme Court of Nigeria convicts Nnamdi Kanu tomorrow, it won’t hold any water because the FG is supposed to obey the decision of the Court of Appeal. I say the FG is shameless in their approach and proceedings.

“Which court released Sunday Igboho? What offense did Sunday Igboho commit? What is the difference between Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu?

“The difference is that Sunday Igboho is a Yoruba man while Nnamdi Kanu is an Igbo man. That is the only difference not to talk of the real terrorists in Nigeria called MietyAllah and Fulani herdsmen. They are the real terrorists.

“They are the people the FG is protecting, releasing them from prisons and exempting them from the arrest of s security forces.

“Then they accuse Nnamdi Kanu, bringing laptops, cameras, phones and so on as evidence. That’s nonsense, arrant nonsense because they hate the Igbo.

“Then you want to use him for 2027 election. Who do you think is ready to beg the Federal Government again? Nobody from Igboland will come up again to beg the FG because of Nnamdi Kanu.

“Our leader who died recently, Chief Mbazuruike Amechi on a wheelchair went to Abuja to beg President Muhammadu Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu as his last wish, but nobody listened to him.

“Not long ago, the late President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu went so many times to Abuja asking for the release of Nnamdi Kanu in accordance with the decision of the Appeal Court but nobody listened to him.

“So, you want people to line up, cap in hand begging? I don’t know what else they want us to do. They do all these to humiliate Ndigbo and that makes them happy. They want us to run under the carpet in Nigeria for them to be happy.

“They are only looking for an avenue to imprison Nnamdi Kanu. So, even if you kill him today, won’t you die?

“No Igbo man is a terrorist in Nigeria. We know those who are terrorists and they are being protected.

“On Aburi we stand. On the Appeal Court decision we stand. That’s the position of Ndigbo.

“Every Igbo man believes that the Federal Government is doing delay tactics. We want to see Kanu back. Appeal Court has ordered for his release. But you disobey your own Appeal Court only to come back to the lower court, Federal High Court, Abuja. What a nonsense. We are watching to see what you want to do.

“You want to delay us in Nigeria. We are above that plot.

“You’re doing all these because Igbo are vibrant, industrious, very enterprising and hardworking. The real billionaires in this country called Nigeria are Igbo who make their money without relying on government, without government playing any role in the financial success of an Igbo man.

“Any billionaire in Hausa or Yoruba land made it through the government but no billionaire in Igbo land made it through government. They made it through their sweat and blood. So, don’t be envious of the Igbo.

“When you are tired of holding Nnamdi Kanu, you will release him. He didn’t commit any offense that is different from what many others have committed.

“You’re holding him because he is an Igbo man. No matter the allegations against him, everybody knows the truth. He has not committed any offense, “Chief Uwazuruike concluded.