Nigeria’s National Security Council has thrown its weight behind the position of Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice on the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
According to the Council, Kanu still has a case to answer.
NewsClick Nigeria reports that an Appeal Court in Abuja on Thursday thrashed the case of terrorism levelled against Kanu, a decision that was translated to mean his likely immediate release from detention.
However, Malami in a statement on Thursday, said Kanu had not been acquitted as there are other cases against him.
Towing same line of reason, the National Security Council, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, said government was considering the next step to take on the matter in due course.
It noted that Kanu had not been acquitted though discharged of some issues in the cases against him.
Addressing State House Correspondents after the Council meeting, the Minister of Police Affairs Maigari Dingyadi, joined by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, said what would become of the case against Kanu would be decided in coming days.
“Similarly, 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 was 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 finally be taken on the matter in due course”, Dingyadi said.
He said the council only discussed the Appeal Court judgement but noted that solutions to these kinds of matters can be considered as long as they are not subjudice.
The Council also directed the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in conjunction 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.
