A chieftain of the apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, on Tuesday, asked former President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians regarding his alleged involvement in a conspiracy against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Isiguzoro also said Buhari should clear his name and set the records straight by addressing Nigerians on the alleged conspiracy against the Igbos during his administration.
He was reacting to the revelation by Buhari’s former spokesman, Femi Adesina, that the former President opted to arrest Kanu instead of eliminating him in his hideout.
In his book titled, ‘Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023)’, Adesina quoted Buhari as saying: “I feel its a favour to give him (Kanu) that opportunity. Government could have mobilized to eliminate him where he was, but we did not do that.”
Reacting, Isiguzoro said with the revelation, Buhari’s government may have been acting in line with the scripts of international conspirators against the Igbo in Kanu’s arrest.
In a statement he signed, the factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze said the apex Igbo organization had initially dismissed claims of “international conspiracy theories against the Igbo,” but “our suspicions were intensified by the astonishing revelations made by Adesina, the former spokesman for former President Buhari”.
According to Isiguzoro: “With this revelation, Ndigbo and Nigerians can now see beyond the curtains and recognize the potential reality that Buhari’s government may have been acting in line with the scripts of international conspirators against the Igbo in the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.
“Moreover, the deliberate disregard for court pronouncements and verdicts in favor of Nnamdi Kanu’s release further strengthens these suspicions, aligning with alleged international directives.
“I call upon former President Buhari to urgently clear his name and address these issues without any further delay. It is imperative that Buhari sets the record straight. Ndigbo and Nigerians are well aware of the situation’s intricacies.
“It was Buhari’s government that provided a platform for the rise of self-determination struggles in southern Nigeria due to the horrendous criminal activities and genocidal killings perpetrated by suspected Fulani herdsmen against the people of the Eastern and Western regions.
“Buhari’s perceived silence and efforts to empower Myetti Allah groups through initiatives like RUGA in the South inadvertently gave birth to resistance movements, leading to the emergence of separatist groups like Sunday Igboho in the Southwest and IPOB under Nnamdi Kanu’s leadership in the Southeast.
“Without Buhari’s administration promoting the ‘Fulanization Agenda’, neither Nnamdi Kanu nor Sunday Igboho would have gained prominence. They emerged as products of the circumstances created by Buhari’s regime, and it is essential for Buhari to address Nigerians on this matter.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on Buhari to exhibit the courage of conviction, and provide Nigerians with a comprehensive explanation. It is necessary for the truth to be revealed, and for justice to prevail. The Igbo people, along with all Nigerians, deserve answers.”