The National Security Council on Friday threw its weight on the position of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, that the Appeal Court judgement on the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was not an acquittal.
It also said that the issue of political solution on the IPOB leader’s judgement was not discussed at the meeting and that any political soluttion to the matter would be within the context of law.
The council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja said Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had only been discharged by the Appeal Court and that the government will explore necessary actions available to it to press on with the matter.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the security meeting, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, joined by his Interior counterpart, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, said the council did not discuss the issue of a possible political solution which Malami had broached in November 2021.
He said government will consider appropriate actions on the matter and notify the public.
He said the council only discussed the Appeal Court judgement but noted that solutions to these kind of matters can be considered as long as they are not subjudice.
The Nigeria’s Minister of police affairs said, “The issue of Kanu has also been raised and council was briefed on the state of things on the matter. And it was observed that Kanu was discharged but he is not acquitted so, government is considering the appropriate action to be taken on the matter and Nigerians will be notified of the position that will be finally taken on the matter in due course”.
Recall that Malami had in a television interview said that the federal government may consider all kinds of solutions, including political ones, to resolve the crisis surrounding separatist agitations in the country.
He was quoted as saying while fielding questions on Kanu and Yoruba separatist agitator, Sunday Igboho that, “As far as the security situation is concerned and as far as governance and this administration is concerned, you cannot rule out all possibilities. But then, there has to be an approach for government to consider.”
The council also directed the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in conjuction with the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF) to set up a high-powered investigation committee into the crude oil theft in the Niger Delta with a view to unraveling those behind it.
Answering question on the allegation by the IPOB that the military always force any arrested hard criminal in Southeast to always claim membership of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, a military wing of the separatist group, in order to implicate it, the CDS said there was no truth in the allegation.
He said that IPOB thrives in propaganda, advising that the public should not take such propaganda seriously.
On the crisis between the Kogi State government and Dangote Cement Company over the ownership of Obajana Cement Factory, the Minister of Interior said the security council ordered the re-opening of the factory.
Ogbeni Aregbesola said that everything should be resolved in accordance with the law, adding that the government was committed to guarantee and provide employment to Nigerians.
He said that an agreement has been reached between the Kogi State government and the Dangote Cement Company so that peace would be maintained.
