Enyinnaya Abaribe, the senator representing Abia South, has said the life sentence given to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), did not come as a surprise.
He made this known on Thursday after the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Kanu of terrorism and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
‘A Preconceived Plot’
In a statement signed by his media adviser, Uchenna Awom, the former Senate Minority Leader said the judgement appeared to be a planned move against Kanu.
He noted that the refusal of the Federal Government to grant Kanu any form of amnesty, unlike what was offered to other groups in the country, made the outcome predictable.
Abaribe said: “Is it not an irony that negotiations and peace deals with rampaging terrorists in the North East and North West were gleefully initiated by local, state and federal authorities, just like the amnesty to ex-militants in the South South, who were rewarded with lucrative oil pipeline contracts. This is to say that justice in Nigeria is not for the South East.”
He added that the people of the South East must continue to hope for a Nigeria where justice is equal and fair to all.
Calls for Calm
According to him, several appeals were made for the authorities to consider a pardon in the interest of unity and inclusion.
Abaribe stressed that the Igbo nation now has no option but to leave everything in the hands of President Bola Tinubu.
He urged residents of the South East and all supporters of peace to remain calm and avoid actions that could worsen the situation.
“May Nigeria succeed, thrive and advance in justice, equity and fairness,” he added.