Kanu’s continued detention, an opportunity “to justify all the uncomplimentary things said …” – Buhari

… Rules out bail option

Abiodun OBA

President Muhammadu Buhari has said Kanu’s continued detention is an opportunity for him “to justify all the uncomplimentary things said against Nigeria while he was in Britain.”

Buhari said this at a bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on the margins of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the president said, the Federal Government may not grant the IPOB leader such a privilege anymore considering the fact that he had jumped bail earlier.

“He felt very safe in Britain and said awful things against Nigeria. We eventually got him when he stepped out of the United Kingdom, and we sent him to court. Let him defend all that he said there.

“His (Kanu’s) lawyers have access to him. Remember he jumped bail before, how are we sure he won’t do it again if he’s admitted to bail?” Buhari was quoted to have said.

On the UK’s offer to support Nigeria on insecurity, Buhari told the Prime Minister that helping to stabilise Libya could be an initial good step in fighting insecurity in many African countries.

He said the fall of the former President of the country; Muammar Gaddafi unleashed armed guards who are “causing havoc everywhere, as the only thing they know how to do is to shoot guns”.

On Boko Haram insurgency, the president said there is a serious effort to educate the people on the fact that only an unserious person could kill innocent people and say Allah Akbar (God is Great).

“God is justice. You can’t take innocent souls, and ascribe it to God. The education process is working and the people now understand Boko Haram as anti-God, and not about religion,” he said.

Obviously unfamiliar with the maximum two-term limit, the British PM asked if Buhari would run for office again.

“Another term for me? No! The first person who tried it didn’t end very well,” Buhari said amid general laughter.

Buhari’s response drew general laughter from the audience.

Recall that President Olusegun Obasanjo was widely believed to have attempted to seek a third term in office through a constitution amendment process ahead of the 2007 general election but the Senate President Ken Nnamani- led upper legislature killed the attempt.