Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike said it was not enough for the Federal Government to arrest Nnamdi Kanu, while leaders of other notorious groups were roaming wild and free.
Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was rearrested, brought back to Nigeria, and re-arraigned on Tuesday, June 29.
Speaking on the development, Governor Wike said for justice to be said to have prevailed, the Federal Government must ensure that the leaders of other groups that had been linked to killings and unrest were arrested and made to face the law.
Wike was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Thursday.
He said in the case of Kanu, due process must be followed so that justice might come full circle.
“I have said as governor of Rivers State, I do not believe in Kanu’s principles or the way he wants to actualize Biafra. I have said that Rivers State is not part of Biafra.
“However, having arrested him, the due process of the law must follow. You cannot just say that because you have arrested him therefore you will not allow justice to prevail. You must follow the due process of law.
“And again, do not do it as if all our target is against a certain section of the country because it is not only Nnamdi Kanu we are talking about as regards insecurity in the country.
“We have bandits, we have Miyetti Allah who have caused a lot of problems, so government must endeavour to go after the heads of these organizations and associations and arrest them and bring them to book,” Wike stated.
The governor was of the opinion that if the government heeded his advice, then Nigerians would be able to say that of a truth, justice had been done.
He added that failure to see that the other arrests were made would only suggest that the move was targetted at just one section of the country, a situation which Wike said would breed issues over injustice and debates regarding marginalization.
The IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu was earlier in October 2015 arrested by Nigerian authorities on an 11-count charge bordering on “terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods, among others.”
He was granted bail in April 2017 for medical reasons. However, Mr. Kanu fled the country in September 2017 after an invasion of his home by the military in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State.
Subsequently, he was intercepted on June 27, 2021, and was brought back to stand trial in Nigeria two days later.
Governor Wike was of the opinion that only a trial that followed due process and the drive to bring other defaulters to justice would ensure that the present government was not seen as nepotistic and biased in its dealings even with regard to insecurity.
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