Nnamdi Kanu Is Just A Symptom And Not The Disease -By Prof. Echefuna’ R. G. Onyebeadi

A lot have been said and written by various interest groups and persons about Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB since his recent kidnap/abduction/arrest in a foreign land; his “mysterious” extradition to Nigeria; his subsequent arraignment in Abuja Court and his Court ordered detention in DSS facilities; all at the instance of this Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.

Let me start by stating very clearly that I am not a fan of the said Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB. I don’t know him and I have never met or have anything to to do with him.

Nnamdi Kanu was relatively, an unknown entity until this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd, brought him into limelight for the wrong reasons.

Nnamdi Kanu in handcuffs at the Federal High Court Abuja.

So, for any rational mind, the purported re-arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu shouldn’t necessarily atrract any form of excitement safe for sober reflection as there are more weightier matters begging for attention.

If the strategy, energy and resources deployed by this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari to “capture” just one Nnamdi Kanu has been deployed to tackle the numerous challenges facing the country, including the murderous terrorists killer fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, bandits, boko haram, rustlers and so on, which are largely the creations and/or with subterraneous facilitation of this Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, Nigeria would have since retraced her steps to the path of ensuring the security of lives and properties, which is the primary purpose of government; and, socio-economic development.

The leadership of ‘meyatti allah’ who have openly claimed responsibility for several atrocities including the activities of killer fulani herdsmen all over the country are well known to this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd; but, No consequences! No arrest! No prosecution!

The leadership and locations of the armed killer bandits rampaging parts of northern Nigeria and indeed everywhere including carving out exclusive territories for themselves within the sovereign Nigeria State are well known to this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd; but, No consequences! No arrest! No prosecution!

Instead, what we see are top government officials including State Governors patronising them with humongous ransoms, negotiations for a possible amnesty and other palliatives!

The locations and leadership of the deadly boko haram terrorists and mass murderers are well known to this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd; but, No consequences! No arrest! No prosecution!
Instead, what we see are top government officials including State Governors patronising them with humongous ransoms, rehabilitation and reintegration of the captured boko haram terrorists into the Nigerian military and police!

Sheikh Gumi with fulani herdsmen terrorists

Cabinet Ministers and a particlar Governor in the north, in this same regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd, have since been identified as sponsors and commanders of boko haram terrorists among others but, No consequences! No arrest! No prosecution! No sanction whatsoever!

Isn’t it then curious that, this same regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd, would spare nothing to unleash mayhem in South East of Nigeria and some selected parts of the country, killing many unarmed innocent people in the name of fishing/flushing out their perceived IPOB members and imaginary enemies of the powers that be?!

Now, what is there to be excited about in spending so much scarce resources in the face of the accumulated huge foreign debt and time by this “Federal Government” (or is it “fulani government”) of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, just to repatriate one man to the gross neglect of the weightier matters and gross insecurity everywhere with massive human blood needlessly flowing across the country unabated?

What is there to be excited about with the purported arrest and repatriation of just one man from abroad when many known terrorists and criminals within are freely roaming the streets of Nigeria and living in opulence on the blood of innocent citizens of Nigeria as celebrities unhindered?

Sheikh Gumi and bandits

What is there to be excited about in the repatriation of an Nnamdi Kanu while under the very watch of this same Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, military check points are mounted almost every kilometre only in a section of the country which Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd himself described as a dot; where the citizens from that part of the country are humiliatingly made to disembark from their vehicles and compulsarily made to walk a long distance with their hands raised up in surrender and/or as conquered people at a supposedly ‘peace time’ when the country isn’t officially at war?

Has anybody ever wondered why it took this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, clear 4 days (from Saturday 24/06/2021 to Tuesday 27/06/2021) after the “abduction”/extraction of Nnamdi Kanu from wherever, to announce the “arrest” and arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu if he was brought into Nigeria under normal and standard conditions; and if his fundamental human rights have not been violently violated only to wait for his condition to be stable before presenting him to the public for prosecution?

What is there to be excited about by the purported arrest of just one man who was brought into limelight from obscurity, ‘deified’ and “radicalised” by this same Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime when the core issues of Equity, Fairness and Justice are still begging for commensurate attention?

What is there to be excited about in the arrest of just one armless ‘fugitive’ when the blood of innocent citizens are flowing ceaselessly across the country from the actions of known criminals while this regime of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari stands aloof as if they can’t be bothered?

Until the core issues necessitating the sporadic separatists agitations across the country are properly addressed, until core issues of equal opportunities and equal treatment for all irrespective of tribe, religion and/or place of birth/origin are firmly resolved, until the rule of law and equal application/interpretation of our laws are given prominence, until the born to rule mentality and undue sense of entitlements as though the geographical area called Nigeria is a private property of some people in this country is properly addressed, until any and every citizen is allowed to grow and develop according to his/her natural endowment, potentials, ability and capability, until the “Federal Government” stops robbing Adams to pay Adamu, until Nigeria is truly anchored on the core principles of Equity, Fairness and Justice; so long will those in authority and power continue to pursue shadows instead of substance!

Now that the major nightmare of Mr President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd, called Nnamdi Kanu, has been “victoriously captured” at great costs to Nigeria and effectively quarantined in the custody of Mr President’s DSS, could Mr President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari now please, begin to address the existential challenges facing the country, Nigeria?

Could Mr President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari Rtd, please, now start the healing process of the numerous diseases plugging Nigeria, many of which are perpetrated under his watch, to which all the Nnamdi Kanus and Igbohos of this world are mere symptoms?

Mr President Sir, tomorrow is pregnant!
Power is transient!
No man is God Almighty!

Echefuna’ R. G. ONYEBEADI.