‘Tinubu never said Uzodimma blocked Kanu’s release’ – Presidency

Presidency has denied reports quoting President Bola Tinubu as disclosing that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma is stalling efforts aimed at effecting the release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu from detention, amid several court judgements ordering the latter’s freedom from the Nigerian government’s custody.

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the pro-secession group in the South East region of the country, the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) has been in a Federal High Court-ordered protective custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) since his June, 2021 extradition from Kenya and subsequent re-arraignment in Abuja on severally-amended charges bordering on terrorism, treason and arms possession.

The Presidency had reportedly claimed that Governor Uzodimma blocked the President Tinubu’s decision to release Kanu.

Tinubu was reported to have said during a meeting with Igbo businessmen, Last Monday, that Uzodimma gave him reasons why releasing Kanu before the Imo elections is dangerous.

“Uzodinma told me the dangers of releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu now that the Governorship election of Imo state is at the corner.

“My intention was to order for his release a few weeks ago when our brother, Igboho was released but I was surprised when the Governor of Imo State approached me to reverse my decision to do so.

“My reason to even attempt to release him is to enable the people of the South East geopolitical zone have peace.

“The zone has witnessed major security challenges where armed security militia, ESN has killed several souls, the report quoted Tinubu as saying.

However, the Presidency, Tuesday, denied claiming that the Imo governor was the one stalling efforts at releasing Kanu, describing the reports as ‘fake news.’

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, while reacting to the reports of Uzodimma complicity in Kanu’s release, in a statement, explained that his principal never met with Igbo businessmen with the aim of releasing Kanu.

However, in denying the report, Onanuga urged Imo people to disregard the alleged fake news against Uzodinma.

“The people of Imo State should please disregard the fake news in circulation that Governor Hope Uzodimma is blocking the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu by President Bola Tinubu.

“The fake news is obviously designed to build some resentment against the governor who has done very well for his people and who deserves a second term via Saturday’s election.

“President Tinubu did not meet Igbo businessmen on Monday. He didn’t say what was ascribed to him. “He didn’t blame Gov. Uzodimma for anything.

“Sahara Reporters did not report the fake news. The link provided did not lead to the fake news on the Sahara Reporters platform.

“It’s all wicked lies by politically desperate people,” Onanuga said.

It would be recalled that immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, had told Nigerians during a press conference in June 29, 2021, that the federal government facilitated the extradition of Nnamdi Kanu from then an unknown country, which was later identified as Kenya.

Malami disclosed that international collaborative efforts with security agencies led to Kanu’s arrest and repatriation to Nigeria.

Although Kanu was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons, he reportedly jumped after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.

He has also been on the run since then after soldiers raided his father’s residence in Abia state.

IPOB was later declared a terrorist group by the Defence headquarters and court after the South-East governors proscribed it.

Despite the court’s insistence on his appearance, the IPOB leader has remained abroad, and once said he jumped bail to pursue the cause of Biafra.

“Their problem is Nnamdi Kanu and the solution to their problem is referendum. They gave me conditional bail to cage me and IPOB but I refused,” Nnamdi Kanu said during a broadcast.

Kanu was first granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons, however, owing to his absence in court, Justice Nyako, the judge who granted him the application, revoked it and ordered that he should be arrested.

Kanu, however, dismissed the arrest warrant issued against him and vowed to remain abroad to continue agitating for Biafra.

“The bench warrant against me is merely academic. It will surely be ignored by an international legal and diplomatic order that has voiced its disapproval of what is happening to IPOB in Nigeria,” he had said in one of his broadcasts.

In Kanu’s absence, IPOB went underground and mobilised resources to launch a militant wing named the Eastern Security Network (ESN), which coincided with a spike in attacks against security and government infrastructure in the south-east.

The secessionist group also forged an alliance with the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC), the separatist movement in Southern Cameroon, to exchange weapons and personnel.

Since his re-arrest and extradition in 2021, the Department of State Service (DSS) has continued to take Kanu to court for the continuation of his trial before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, which border on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms, and management of an unlawful society.