Re-arresting Kanu, Politically Dangerous – Dangiwa Umar
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retd), has warned against plans by the Federal Government to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, saying it is politically dangerous.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the retired army officer cautioned the government against treating Kanu as a common criminal, saying the IPOB leader “is a bitter young man fighting for a fairer deal for his Igbo kinsmen. His seeming militant approach is the result of the strong arm tactics with which the Federal Government deals with him.
“His long incarceration before a court granted him bail testifies to this. Like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, many Igbos genuinely feel marginalized since they belong to the category of those who gave Mr. President only 5% of their votes and appeared to have fallen out of his favour. President Buhari’s insistence that the unity of Nigeria is a sealed issue is a nationalistic wish and is no surprise coming from a veteran of civil war fought to keep the country one. However, this does not take into account the mood of the nation as indicated by the growing agitations for self-determination, restructuring and many other similar demands.”
The former military administrator said it was evident that Kanu and other agitators are fighting on issues millions consider legitimate, and called on democratic leaders “to accommodate dissent, vigorous, robust, even if inconvenient, it will be incapable of serving our common good.”
Dangiwa Umar, who is the Chairman of Movement for Unity & Progress (MUP), advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to ignore agitations in the polity and lamented that the country has “become so polarized that it requires a strong personality like General Buhari to sustain its fragile unity. Needless to say that this does not bode well for the survival of the nation. Most Nigerians are convinced of the need to maintain Nigeria’s unity, cognizant of the enormous benefits all sections drive from a large, diverse and resource rich country.
“The Federation also provides a security umbrella to all the federating units which enhance their survivability and prosperity. It is di2cult to see how any of them can fare better out of the federation. But the fact that there are growing agitations for self-determination, restructuring and other similar demands speak gravely of the way the federation is being governed. Nigeria’s unity can only be guaranteed when all its citizens feel they are given a fair deal; when all its component parts are treated justly and equitably. When none feels oppressed.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Adeyanju and other similar agitators might seem like felons or even anarchists. But as often happens over humanity’s turbulent history, appearances can be deceitful. One man’s terrorist could well be another man’s freedom fighter.
“In any event, despite what the security agencies might feel, there is nothing to fear from Mazi Kanu. He and his compatriots are people who love their country dearly and are willing to take a risk with their lives while blowing a whistle on some of our bad habits.”
