President Muhammadu Buhari has described as difficult and heavy the demand on him for an unconditional release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
According to Newscoven.ng, the president, in a statement posted on his Facebook timeline, said some group of distinguished and respected Igbo leaders paid him a visit.
He said one of the issues that came up during the visit was a request by these eminent Igbo leaders for the unconditional release of Kanu who is presently standing trial in an Abuja High Court.
The president, however, said he found it extremely difficult to accede to the request which he said is an extremely difficult demand on him as the leader of the country.
President Buhari further told the Igbo leaders to consider what he said is the serious implication of their demand and advised them to counsel the IPOB leader to rather make his case in the court.
He said, having not been seen to have interfered in the work of the judiciary in the last six years, he would not be involved in the case of Kanu, who he said jumped bail only to be re-arrested to face trial.
President Buhari said: “On Friday I received a group of very distinguished and respected Igbo elders, led by Minister of Aviation in the First Republic, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi.
“One of the issues that came up was their request for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu. I took the time to explain my view on the matter. I told them:
“You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious.
“In the last six years, since I became President, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary.
“When Kanu jumped bail, got arrested and was brought back to Nigeria, I said the best thing was to subject him to the system.
“Let him make his case in court, instead of giving very negative impressions of the country from outside. I will consider your demand, but it is a heavy one.”
