President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to consider a political solution in the case of detained separatist leader, Nnamdi Kanu is a “mistake capable of consuming Nigeria”, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said.
The proscribed group stated this in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Sunday.
Kanu is being prosecuted for terrorism-related charges before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court.
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, President Buhari asked Kanu to defend himself in court.
He emphasised that the IPOB leader would not be released.
In its statement, IPOB advised the president against listening to its “enemies”.
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“Our attention has been drawn to the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria that he will not release our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement reads.
“We know that this position by Buhari after he had earlier promised a delegation of Igbo leaders that he would consider their appeal to consider a political solution for Kanu, was not unconnected with the visit by some foreign-based traitors and enemies of our struggle.
“Our intelligence captured what transpired in a meeting between these saboteurs and their host in Aso Rock. In the evil meeting, the saboteurs and traitors concluded with the presidency that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should not be released, claiming erroneously thought, that IPOB and ESN have been defeated which is lies.
“But we want to tell Buhari and his cohorts that he is going to make a mistake capable of consuming Nigeria should he fail to release Nnamdi Kanu because these bunch of criminals he had a meeting with were not giving him correct information about IPOB and ESN outfit.
“Why should the federal government be releasing bandits and terrorists wreaking havoc across the country but fail to release freedom seekers.
“Federal government should not be deceived by blacklegs and sacked members of the movement who are feeding it with fake information about IPOB and ESN outfit for pecuniary interests.
“IPOB is too big for them to comprehend and they could not fantom IPOB and its operational strategy when they were in IPOB, we don’t want to mention their names.
“The people who visited him promised to help him crush IPOB and ESN but unfortunately they cannot achieve that, actually they will be disappointed,” the statement read.
The group stated that Kanu was not afraid of defending himself in court and would be vindicated in both local and international courts.