Former Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe has expressed his disappointment at the conviction and sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), stating that the outcome was anticipated and not surprising. Kanu has been sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism, following a trial that spanned nearly a decade.
In a statement released by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, Abaribe highlighted that the life sentence handed to Kanu reflects a “preconceived plot” against the Igbo nation and other reasonable Nigerians. He criticized the Federal Government’s failure to consider Kanu’s pleas for amnesty, which were granted to other groups involved in violence.
Abaribe noted the irony of the government initiating peace negotiations and amnesty deals with violent groups in the North East and North West, while Kanu, who sought self-determination for the Igbo people, was denied similar treatment. He stated, “This is to say that justice in Nigeria is not for the South East.”
He urged the Igbo community and other supporters of justice in Nigeria to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands. Abaribe’s statement concluded with a call for peace, urging the community to place their hopes in President Bola Tinubu’s administration for reconciliation and justice.
While Abaribe remains critical of the judicial outcome, his remarks indicate a desire for a more equitable justice system in Nigeria. The senator and others in the Igbo community continue to advocate for meaningful dialogue and understanding in the face of ongoing tensions.
