President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to grant Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a presidential pardon.
Despite President Buhari's promise in November 2021 to consider the request of some leaders from the South East region to release Kanu, who is facing treason charges brought against him by the Nigerian government, the Nigerian President said Kanu must answer for his actions over the years, especially while he was out of the country, in an interview with Channels Television aired on Wednesday January 5, the Nigerian President said Kanu must answer for his actions over the years, especially while he was out of the country.
The President accused Kanu of exploiting his administration while in Europe "as if he were not a Nigerian," and stated he would not interfere with judicial matters.
He added;
Nigerians know that I don’t interfere with the judiciary.
“Let him be listened to. For those who are saying that we should release him, no we cannot release him.
“There is a possibility of political solution; if people behave themselves, all well and good, but you can’t go to a foreign country and keep on sending incorrect economic and security problem against your country and thinking that you will never have to account for what you have been doing. Let him account for what he has been doing.
“There is one institution that I wouldn’t dare interfere with – that is the judiciary.
“Kanu’s case is with the judiciary, but what I wonder is when Kanu was safely in Europe abusing this administration and mentioning too many things, I never thought really he wants to voluntarily come and defend himself on the accusations.
“So, we are giving him an opportunity to defend himself in our system, not to be abusing us from Europe as if he was not a Nigerian. Let him come here to us and then criticise us here.”
According to President Buhari, Nigerians don't want the country to break up because they believe the country is stronger as a whole. A better Nigerian future, according to Buhari, is what motivates Nigerians to make a fuss about a breakup.