Buhari to Igbo leaders: Nnamdi Kanu’s fate remains with the court, my worry is for innocent civilians

President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu must defend himself in court. TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports President Buhari, who made this known while responding to appeals for the release of detained IPOB leader, stressed that his worry is for hardworking and innocent civilians. Traditional, religious and political leaders from the South East had appealed for the release of Kanu during a Town Hall meeting with Buhari in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on Friday. The meeting was the last official engagement of the president, who was on a two-day working visit to Ebonyi. Speaking, the president expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the zone, reiterating his directive to security agencies to ‘‘flush out’’ those perpetrating violence in the land. "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 courts where it will be properly adjudicated. "My worry is for our hardworking and innocent civilians, for whom life is already tough and would like to earn a decent and honest living. "There are many that fit this profile and the government owes them that obligation to protect lives and property. "I will once again repeat, no one has the right to carry an AK-47, and anyone seen in any part of the country doing so and is not a law enforcement officer is a threat to our peaceful coexistence and should be treated as such,” Buhari said. TNG reports the president frowned at the brutal activities of terrorists in the South-East and other parts of the country. He reiterated the commitment of his administration to continue to protect and defend innocent citizens from those bent on causing breakdown of law and order across the country. He also expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the region, reiterating his directive to security agencies to flush out those perpetrating violence in the land. He paid tribute to members of the Nigerian armed forces who recently lost their lives in the region. "I must register my deep and grave concern with regards to the deteriorating state of security affairs in this region. "In the last 48 hours, I have been informed of the latest in the round of brutal actions carried out by gun-wielding terrorists, who prey on innocent and hardworking citizens. “Unfortunately, these barbaric acts were visited upon those who have committed their lives to protect their fellow citizens,’’ he said. He also used the opportunity to highlight some of his government’s achievements in the region, dismissing those peddling false narratives of lack of care and consideration for the people of the South East by this administration. The president said he was proud of the reconstruction of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and ongoing work on upgrade of the International Terminal Building. He assured Ndigbo that the N200 billion Second Niger Bridge and 10km six-lane expressway in Onitsha and Asaba would be completed before the end of the year. According to him, the 5.5 million dollars Diagnostic Centre in Umuahia is already operational. Meanwhile, in his remarks, Gov. David Umahi, who appreciated the president for his visit to Ebonyi, reiterated his position for political solution to the Nnamdi Kanu dilemma. He stressed that President Buhari would be remembered as a man who did not use the plight of the people of the South East to play politics but came to their rescue severally. ”On this issue of a political solution, I have never believed in IPOB’s method of operation, I disagree with them but we have gotten ourselves to a very terrible and pitiable solution. ‘‘Some of us warned that we will get to this situation and some were playing politics with it. ”Mr. President, we are at crossroads. I have been to you and I have begged you for a political solution. Surprisingly and graciously you granted that. You said our people should initiate that and at the forefront is Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer,” Umahi said. The governor, therefore, urged the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to meet with elder statesman, Mbazuluike Amaechi, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South East, the Chairman of South East Traditional Rulers Council, Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer and few others to initiate the political solution. TNG reports others who spoke at the event include the Chairman, South East Traditional Rulers, Eze Charles Mkpumah and the Chairman, Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-East, Rev. Abraham Nwali. They all appealed for the release of Kanu and also spoke on the need for the next President of Nigeria in 2023 to be from South East extraction. While expressing support for a united Nigeria, the leaders appealed to the president to grant pardon and release the IPOB leader, urging other agitators to cease all forms of hostilities. TNG reports President Buhari has since returned to Abuja.