President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) not to release Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
Recall that Buhari agreed to consider a lighter resolution after meeting with Southeast elders, but was concerned that doing so would violate the principles of separation of powers between the Executive and the Judiciary.
In a statement signed by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the forum’s Director of Publicity, the forum stated that there are no safe grounds for President Buhari to approve the request.
“The release of Nnamdi Kanu will cause great harm to Nigeria, which is already beset by security and other issues,” the statement added.
Buhari was persuaded by Northern elders to follow the legal process and let Kanu’s trial run its course.
Part of the statement read, ” We have carefully studied the request of Igbo Elders for President Muhammadu Buhari to terminate the trial of Nnamdi Kanu and release him unconditionally. It has also noted President Buhari’s response which both raised very weighty issues related to the request and his commitment to consider it.
“The Forum notes that there are no safe, constructive or informed grounds for granting the request, and advised that President Buhari will do serious injury to a country already threatened by multiple challenges to its security and territorial integrity if he delays announcing the only responsible response, which is that the judicial process in the case of Kanu must be allowed to run its course.”
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