JUST IN: Presidency Speaks On Kanu’s Rearrest, Attack On Igboho’s Residence

• The Presidency has spoken about the rearrest of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and the raid on the residence of Yoruba Nation Agitator, Sunday Igboho, by security operatives.
• “Mr President’s directives to Security Services regarding anyone seen to be carrying arms, particularly AK-47 are clear and require no further illumination.”

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Presidency, on Tuesday, applauded security agencies in the country over the re-arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The Presidency also justified the raid on the residence of popular Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo well known as Sunday Igboho, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by the Department of State Services (DSS), describing Igboho as a “militant”.

The Presidency, while reacting via a statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated that Kanu and Igboho had inflicted pain and hardships on Nigerians.

The statement made available on Tuesday was titled, ‘Presidency Statement On The Recent Successes Of Security And Intelligence Agencies’.

The Presidency noted that Nnamdi Kanu, who was re-arrested and re-arraigned in court last week for terrorism-related charges, was captured as a result of “cross-border cooperation” and “international operation”.

Garba Shehu added that the IPOB leader would “face the law”.

The statement read, “Last week, we saw the enhanced collaboration of the Nigerian Law Enforcement Agencies, as they executed with great synchronization arrests of individuals who had inflicted pain and hardships on fellow citizens.

“The subversive leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a group known for its murderous actions and virulent messaging was detained as a result of cross-border cooperation.  This international operation was executed in a closely coordinated fashion following which he was handed over to our National Intelligence Agency, and then returned to Nigeria to face the Law.

“The violence inspired by IPOB has led to hundreds of fatalities, particularly targeted at Government assets and Law Enforcement Agents. Additionally, there have been at last count, fifty (55) separate violent attacks, heavily concentrated in the South-East, which heaped further hardship on our honest and hardworking citizens, preventing them from earning their livelihood and going about their normal lives.

READ ALSO: [BREAKING] Sunday Igboho: Southern Governors React, Give Fresh Directive To Security Agencies

“The government had long been monitoring the activities of IPOB and had strong cause to believe that their funding sources include proceeds of suspected illicit criminal activities. By this singular action of our security forces, sanity, calm and peace have been returned to our communities who previously lived in constant fear of these misguided elements,” Shehu stated.

The Presidency added, “In furtherance of continued diligent work, the State Security Service on Thursday, 1st July raided the residence of a militant ethnic Secessionist, who has also been conducting acts of terror and disturbing the peace under the guise of protecting fellow “kinsmen”.

“His seditious utterances and antics, which he is known to have publicly expressed, have overtime morphed into very hateful and vile laden speeches.  It must be highlighted that the government respects fundamental rights of citizens to express their views and recognizes this as a democratic tenet.  However, any attempt to build an Armoury coupled with plans either subtle or expressed to undermine our unity as a nation will not be condoned.

“Mr. President’s directives to Security Services regarding anyone seen to be carrying arms, particularly AK-47 are clear and require no further illumination. Assault weapons are not tools of peace-loving people and as such, regardless of who they are and where they are from, the Security Agencies should treat them all the same.

“The successes of our Security Agencies must be commended as they have demonstrated significant deftness, guile, and secrecy in carrying out these missions.  This level of professionalism must be sustained and brought to bear as we focus on extracting from our society those who have found a new trade in targeting students, rural dwellers, and our citizens in the North-West.  The nation recognises their efforts and sacrifice,” the statement concluded.

 

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