By Kalu Onyemaechi
President Muhammadu Buhari has said he will consider the unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu as demanded by elder statesmen from the South-East.
Buhari, however, said such a request was a difficult option to weigh but assured to give it a thought.
Buhari said this on Friday while receiving a group under the aegis of Highly Respected Igbo Greats, led by First Republic parliamentarian and Minister of Aviation, Mbazulike Amaechi, at State House, Abuja, according to a report by The PUNCH.
A Presidential media aide, Femi Adesina, revealed this in a statement titled, ‘President Buhari to Igbo Leaders: your demand for Nnamdi Kanu’s release is heavy. I will consider it’.
Speaking to the delegation led by the 93-year-old Amaechi, Buhari said “You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious.
“In the last six years, since I became President, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary. God has spared you, and given you a clear head at this age, with a very sharp memory. A lot of people half your age are confused already. But the demand you made is heavy. I will consider it.”
Stressing his policy of non-interference with the Judiciary, the President said when Kanu jumped bail, got arrested and was brought back to the country, “I said the best thing was to subject him to the system. Let him make his case in court, instead of giving very negative impressions of the country from the outside. I feel it’s even a favour to give him that opportunity.”
The President also sympathised with Amaechi over the loss of his wife.
The nonagenarian had described the situation in the Southeast as “painful and pathetic.”
He said businesses and education were suffering in the region, while pleading for a political solution rather than a military one to Kanu’s case.
Amaechi promised to caution Kanu’s over his utterances of he is released to him, saying, “he would no longer say the things he had been saying.”
According to him, he can control Kanu “not because I have anything to do with IPOB, but I am highly respected in Igboland today.”
Amaechi said twice he had interfaced with Nnamdi Kanu in the past, and the latter rescinded orders earlier given on civil disobedience.
He concluded, “I don’t want to leave this planet without peace returning to my country. I believe in one big, united Nigeria, a force in Africa. Mr President, I want you to be remembered as a person who saw Nigeria burning, and you quenched the fire.”
Members of the visiting delegation were; former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the Methodist Church, former President of Igbo socio-cultural group, Aka Ikenga, Goddy Uwazurike and Tagbo Amaechi.
