The Nigerian government Friday called on foreign nations allegedly supporting Nnamdi Kanu, and his proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to desist.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, said such nations were supporting the “subversive” activities of Mr Kanu, and IPOB, despite the designation of the group as a terrorist organisation in Nigeria.
Mr Malami addressed journalists at his office in Abuja barely 24 hours after Mr Kanu was, on Thursday, produced from custody for re-arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja on seven charges related to treasonable felony and terrorism.
His address centred on the report of investigations carried out by a 24-member Presidential Ad-hoc Committee, inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari, following Mr Kanu’s rearrest outside Nigeria in June.
The committee led by Mr Malami linked various “destructive activities” including killings of prominent persons and 175 security agents, destruction of about 164 police stations and formations, among other violent crimes to IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The destructive activities of IPOB/ESN pose serious threat to Nigeria’s national security and its corporate existence, which resulted into re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and members of his group,” Mr Malami said.
“We have also established that Kanu is not alone in his subversive activities.
“He has accomplices in Nigeria and abroad, individuals and groups as well as state and non-state actors who are aiding and facilitating his campaign against the people and state of Nigeria.
“Some of the state actors aided Kanu, even as a fugitive, in his destructive mission, ignoring the terrorist nature of his activities.
“We call on these countries to desist from aiding subversive acts by KANU and IPOB against the state of Nigeria and its people.”
The official did not name the countries he was referring to.
But the United Kingdom and the United States of America are among notable nations that have resisted calls by the Nigerian government to designate IPOB as a terrorist organisation since it was proscribed in Nigeria in September 2017.
Mr Malami also said there are “friendly” nations that have either banned the activities of IPOB or placed Mr Kanu on ‘Stop List’.
“Conversely, there are some friendly countries which, recognising the status of IPOB as a terrorist organisation, have either banned the activities of IPOB or placed Kanu on Stop List.
“To these peace-loving countries that have put Kanu on their Stop Lists and banned IPOB from operating in their territories, we express our appreciation,” Mr Malami said.
