Don’t release Nnamdi Kanu – Arewa Youths

The National President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) Yerima Shettima, has kicked against moves being made by prominent Igbo leaders to persuade President Muhammadu Buhari to release leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.

Shettima who spoke at a press conference of the Arewa Youths in Kaduna on Saturday, warned the President and the Nigerian government against releasing Kanu, saying such a move would not only be dangerous for the continued existence of the country, but would further complicate the insecurity situation in the country.

Shettima insisted that “allowing the fugitive Kanu to go unpunished would be harmful to Nigeria and the Federal Government.”

Shettima was reacting to Buhari’s recent remarks that he would consider the IPOB leader’s release following a visit by some South-East leaders led by one time Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, to plead for Kanu’s release.

Shettima who frowned at any suggestion of an unconditional release of Kanu, said doing so would undermine “the damage he has done to Nigeria and is not acceptable to Arewa Youths.”

Also Read: Buhari will not release ‘killer’ Kanu – Onochie

“There is the possibility of undermining the consequences of what this man, Nnamdi Kanu, did to the country and by implication, if he is allowed to go unpunished, it would be sending the wrong message.

“Nobody in the history of this country has done more damage to this country since the civil war than this young man.

“If at the end of the day, they allow him to go unpunished after what he has done, the implication is that nobody will ever commit any offence of this nature and be punished because everybody will always refer to him.

“And this means that the constitution is automatically suspended in the country. This means that some people can just commit any crime at the expense of over 200 million Nigerians and get away with it.

“Somebody can kill, pronounce killing and still get away with it; then what is the essence of condemning people to death for killing, murder when compared to what this man (Kanu) did?

“This is just a way of undermining the laws of our land, and indirectly they are saying the government of the day can be easily influenced. This means, somebody can commit any offence and then come to Buhari or any other government after this and seek forgiveness.

“Nnamdi Kanu, to the best of my knowledge, is not even remorseful; indirectly, it’s like the government is begging him to continue with what he’s doing, and he would go unpunished.

“The consequence is that, if he is allowed to go unpunished, we would end up having millions of Kanu rising, even if he decides not to go ahead with further actions.

“If he is allowed to go, Kanu will come out boasting that he did not beg to be released. He is not remorseful and there is nothing to show he regrets his actions, and anybody can do such and get away with it; we are not in a Banana Republic, for God’s sake.”

The Arewa Yiuths President maintained that the laws of the land as it is contained in the constitution should be allowed to take its full course in Kanu’s matter.

“The law must take its full course and I hope it’s not what I’m thinking because nobody has done the kind of damage this man has done to this country; and up till date, we have not recovered from the consequences of what he has done to this country, we are watching.

“If we allow him to go unpunished, then we are saying that the country should produce millions of him. With him alone, look at the damage he has done to his region; but for us in the North, we would ensure he has no sympathizer.

“Nobody is saying he should be dealt with without committing any crime, but if he is found wanting; then he should be made to face the consequences of his actions since the matter is in court.”