Presidency hails Kanu’s re-arrest, raid on Igboho’s home
The Presidency yesterday commended the security agencies for their collaboration in the operations that led to the arrest of the leader of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, accusing him of inflicting pain and hardship on Nigerians.
A presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a statement, also justified the raid on the home of the self-acclaimed Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho, whom he described as a militant ethnic secessionist
He said: “The subversive leader of the proscribed IPOB, a group known for its murderous actions and virulent messaging, was detained as a result of cross-border cooperation.
“This international operation was executed in a closely coordinated fashion following which he was handed over to our National Intelligence Agency, and then returned to Nigeria to face the law.
“The violence inspired by IPOB has led to hundreds of fatalities, particularly targeted at government assets and law enforcement agents.
“The government had long been monitoring the activities of IPOB and had strong cause to believe that their funding sources include proceeds of suspected illicit criminal activities. By this singular action of our security forces, sanity, calm and peace have been returned to our communities who previously lived in constant fear of these misguided elements.
“In furtherance of continued diligent work, the State Security Service on Thursday, 1st July, raided the residence of a militant ethnic secessionist, who has also been conducting acts of terror and disturbing the peace under the guise of protecting fellow “kinsmen”.
“His seditious utterances and antics, which he’s known to have publicly expressed, have over time morphed into very hateful and vile laden speeches. It must be highlighted that the government respects the fundamental rights of citizens to express their views and recognizes this as a democratic tenet.
“However, any attempt to build an armoury coupled with plans either subtle or expressed to undermine our unity as a nation will not be condoned.”
He said President Buhari’s directives to security services regarding anyone seen to be carrying arms, particularly AK-47 were clear and required no further illumination.
“The successes of our security agencies must be commended as they have demonstrated significant deftness, guile and secrecy in carrying out these missions. This level of professionalism must be sustained and brought to bear as we focus on extracting from our society those who have found a new trade-in targeting students, rural dwellers and our citizens in the North-West. The nation recognises their efforts and sacrifice.”