*Accuses him of incitement
*Tells UK, Israel to assist unite Nigeria by turning in separatist agitator
*Threatens to file suit to compel Govt to take action
By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
A Civil Society Group under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society for National Unity and Good Governance (CCSNUGG), has tasked the federal government to formally request for extradition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and separatist agitator to face the law of the country without further delay, over what it referred to as unabating inciting messages from him.
The group also threatened to file legal suit compelling the government to take immediate action on the extradition request if it fails to heed to its call in good time.
The coalition, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr Achike Obiano and made available to journalists on Monday, stressed that it had watched with great concerns, the continuous inciting actions of Mr Kanu, and therefore appealed to foreign nations “especially the United Kingdom and Israel where it said Kanu was using as launching pads’ due to his citizenship, to assist Nigeria by cautioning the IPOB leader whom it accused of championing a selfish agenda.
CCSNUGG explained that its reaction was informed by the latest “inciting message” from Mr Kanu where he allegedly called on the police and military officers of southern and Middle Belt origins to abandon their duty posts and burn their service uniforms.
“It is regrettable that just few weeks after his message to the Igbo’s to destroy Yoruba assets but was resisted by responsible igbo’s and all well meaning Nigerians, an action he wickedly wanted to use to instigate ethnic crisis, Kanu proceeded to call on police and military officers of southern and Middle Belt extractions to abandon their duty posts and burn their service uniforms. We find the statement disheartening. We see this message by Kanu to be unacceptable. We are outraged by the vituperative and inciting messages of the so called lPOB leader,” it said.
In the statement also signed by its National Secretary, Barr. Femi Rotimi and National Women Leader,Hajiya Maryam Mohammed, respectively, noted that Kanu’s actions were unbecoming of a Nigerian indigene, insisted that the government must explore legal ways of collaborating with foreign nations to turn him in to subsequently continue his treason trial.
The group enjoined the government to file a criminal complaint against Kanu at theInternational Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, asking the ICC to order Kanu’s arrest and prosecution following his roles that it said had seen many Nigerians killed and maimed with unqualified property destroyed in the country.
“We wish to also call on the government to compile actions of Mr Kanu that constitute terrorism offenses and present before the world especially where he is hiding so that they can see reason and turn him in for appropriate prosecution in line with the laws of the land,” it said.
The group also tasked countries where Kanu holds citizenship to cooperate with the Nigerian government by handing over Kanu since the government of Nigeria had since branded IPOB a terrorist organisation.
“The Nigeria Government has since branded IPOB as a terrorist organisation and since Mr Kanu’s actions are done under this group, the nations where he lives and launches attacks against the Nigerian state can assist to turn him in for prosecution.
“We strongly believe that both the UK and the Nation of Israel detest terrorism. If they are on the same page with Nigeria in the terrorism fight, then the appropriate thing to do is to have Kanu return to Nigeria to face his ongoing trial,” it added.
It further said: “We call call on the Government of Nigeria to request the British government to expeditiously begin the process of cancelling the citizenship of Nnamdi Kanu, entering an exclusion decision and or order barring himfrom all territories of the United Kingdom so he can return to Nigeria and face his treasonable felony trial pending before a Federal High Court in Nigeria.”
“We call on the federal government to immediately begin collaborations with the nations where Kanu live as citizen, especially the UK and Israel with the view to having him extradited to Nigeria to answer for his crime according to the laws of the land. If for any reason, we find government’s response not satisfactory, we shall proceed with a legal action to compel it to do what it takes to have Kanu returned to continue his treason trial in the country,” it threatened.
The Coalition of Civil Society for National Unity and Good Governance tasked parents to prevail on their wards to be wary of Mr Kanu’s antics and not fall prey to them.
“Like Ohaneze Ndigbo, the well respected sociocultural and political association of Igbo nation has denounce Kanu and his inglorious activities,we call on all other groups in both the South and Middle Belt where Kanu is desperately trying to convince to join his terror actions to immediately denounce him.
“We passionately appeal to parents to warn their wards against falling gullible to the antics of Mr Kanu. We also appeal to the traditional and religious leaders in the affected areas to always preach peaceful co-existence and one united Nigeria among their subjects,” it said.
While referring to Kanu as a fugitive who escaped the law after being granted bail following his arrest and detention over treasonable felony, the Coalition said UK can turn in the IPOB leader given that he was in the nation’s wanted list.
It added, “In as much as we believe that there are many fault lines in the country’s governance system, the quest for corrections must not be allowed to be championed through illegality.”
It informed the foreign nations that Kanu is a fugitive who ran away to evade justice having been granted bail even when the alleged offence he committed was not bailable, adding that he has since been violating the terms of the bail bond.
“Mr Nnamdi Kanu,who has been parading himself as leader of Indigenous People of Biafra against the Nigerian state,has deliberately refused to obey the conditions set for his bail following his arrest and detention for alleged treason.
” We believe strongly that as strong partners, both the United Kingdom and the Nation of Israel can assist Nigeria in its efforts to achieve its quest for a strong and indivisible nation by turning Kanu to face his pending trial. In this regard,we are strongly appealing to them to help in the extradition of Kanu, whose activities have been against the unity of Nigeria,”it stated.
