*Every Northerner united against terrorism, but South East see terrorism as constitutional – Respondent
“Why is it difficult at all times to fight terrorism and other criminality in the South as against the way it is easy to fight same in the North. Boko Haram, so dreaded as they were, were easily submerged by a committed military of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari because the people of the North saw terrorism not only against Islam that is their predominant faith but also against the culture of the North. But when it comes to Igbo Land, terrorism is lawful. Is that not what they are telling us that despite the so called proscription by their governors, which I once said I never trusted, you can still see people like Dr. Nwodo of Ohanaeze Nwodo, Senator Abaribe and other public office holding Igbo people still speaking publicly in support of Kanu and IPOB?” He asked.
Activist lawyer and a vice president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Barrister Monday Onyekachi Ubani, on Tuesday, rose to the controversy over the whereabouts of the leader of the terrorist group, Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), asking both Kanu and government to speak out and save Nigerians of all the confusions.
Ubani, spoke in response to The DEFENDER’s prompter asking him to comment on IPOB’s denial of claim by former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, which said its Nnamdi Kanu had escaped through Malaysia to the United Kingdom.
IPOB, which by tsshe law of the sovereign state of Nigeria stands the status of a proscribed and terrorist organisation, on Tuesday reportedly denied allegation by Kalu that its leader Nnamdi Kanu escaped to the United Kingdom, through Malyasia, adding that Kanu had not been seen or heard since “the military invaded” his country home and killed some members of his family.
IPOB, the reported said, vowed that its lawyers would compel Dr Kalu to appear in court and speak on oath, all that he knew about Kanu’s whereabouts on October 17, when his case would come up before an Abuja High
Court.
According to IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, “It has come to the knowledge of the worldwide family of IPOB and its leadership, regarding the wild and widely reported comments of Orji Uzor Kalu on the
whereabouts of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. This man Orji Uzor Kalu has again made claims that could only classify him as beholding to the Fulani caliphate interests. His spurious claim that the overall leader of IPOB and
prophet of our time Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has made his way to London via Malaysia is confirmation that he would do or say anything to escape his ongoing trial.”
A respondent, who sought to speak under strict condition of anonymity, however, wondered that, “A terrorist group would still publicly boast of any right upon all the damages and treason it has perpetrated against the sovereign state of Nigeria.
He spoke further that, “At this time, once you are declared a terrorist, it is expected that you are not entitled to enjoy any right as a law abiding citizen. The fact that terrorist Nnamdi Kanu and his terrorist group, IPOB, still has a lawyer who is boasting publicly that the Nigerian Army will be made to produce a culprit they denied being in their custody on
court day is clearly an indication that there is problem of trust from the entire Igbo race to the State of Nigeria.
“Why is it difficult at all times to fight terrorism and other criminality in the South as against the way it is easy to fight same in the North. Boko Haram, so dreaded as they were, were easily submerged by a committed military of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari because the people of the North saw terrorism not only against Islam that is their predominant faith but also against the culture of the North. But when it comes to Igbo Land, terrorism is lawful. Is that not what they are telling us that despite the so called proscription by their governors, which I once said I never trusted, you can still see people like Dr. Nwodo of Ohanaeze Nwodo, Senator Abaribe and other public office holding Igbo people still speaking publicly in support of Kanu and IPOB?” He asked.
In his submission, however, Barrister Ubani said, “Everyone wants to know where Nnamdi Kanu is and enough of cock and bull stories from all the parties. If he is in hiding, he should come out to reduce speculation. If he is under custody of the Government, they should produce him in order to reduce tension in the land and if he is abroad, he should speak up so that the world will know he is safe and sound.”
Asked for his views why IPOB, which keeps holding the military for the “missing” of Kanu, could not come up with an evidence or witness to troops taking away of the terrorist group leader since the alleged invasion happened during the day time, Ubani was yet to send back his reply to the text communication from The DEFENDER.
