More outrage has continued to trail continued detention of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, MNK, despite his discharge by an Appeal Court after a group of eminent elders United Igbo Elders Forum, UIEF, described the development as an affront to Ndigbo.
The group said for the federal government to have ignored the voice of the elders, the demand by the United Nations, UN, the judgement of the Court of Appeal and others voices of reasons and went ahead to prolong this case amounted to an assemblage of a time bomb.
National Coordinator of the forum, Justice Alpha Ikpeama who stated this yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra state, via SMS, shortly after their emergency meeting, said there was no need for the federal government to have gone to the Supreme Court to challenge an erudite judgement delivered by the three wise men at the Appellate court.
According to Ikpeama, “it is now crystal clear to all and sundry that it is Buhari and Malami that have been holding Nnamdi Kanu in captivity and the implication is that the entire Igbo race are being held in captivity as well by the duo of Buhari and Malami, with its attendant political undertone”.
“Elders, UN, court, others have spoken and FG refused. It has a time bomb. Words of elders are words of wisdom. Enough is enough. It is Malami and Buhari holding Kanu. No need for Supreme Court. This shows that Buhari and Malami are holding Ndigbo. it has a political undertone. Justice delayed is justice denied. FG has only but two options to release Kanu. The two options are hinged on the Appeal Court verdict or political solution. if FG can dialogue with bandits, why not with Ndigbo? We commend all those who have so far showed concern for their objectivity”, the statement added.
Ikpeama contended that it is absurd and an affront to the psychology of Ndigbo for President Muhammadu Buhari to tell Igbo elders shortly after the arrest and rendition of Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria that Kanu should go through the judicial process, only for the federal government to disobey the recent order of the Court of Appeal to release him from detention”.
Insisting that the federal government has no option than to release him without further delay, UIEF further declared: “it is more advisable for the federal government to do the needful by releasing him according to the court verdict before the time bomb could be detonated”.
The three-man panel of judges of the Appeal Court had in its unianimous judgement, quashed the remaining seven-count charges preferred against Kanu by the federal government and consequently discharge him.
However, the federal government headed to the Supreme Court to challenge the Appeal Court judgement, a decision which the United Igbo Elders are criticizing.