Political solution for Kanu, IPOB agitation not on the table – Malami

Mr. Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, has said there is yet no political solution on the table for possible release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), even as he said Kanu cannot be pardoned when he hasn’t been convicted by a competent court of law.

Kanu, who is in custody of the Department of State Service, is facing an amended 7-count charge bordering on treasonable felony and acts of terrorism which were brought against him by the Federal Government after his re-arrest and repatriation to Nigeria in June this year.

Justice Binta Nyako, the trial judge, had adjourned Kanu’s case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.

However, the IPOB leader is set to appear in an emergency court session scheduled for today, in what some sources say is a move to grant the Biafra activist bail.

But Malami argued that it is too early to talk about pardoning Kanu because the pro-Biafra activist is still in court standing trial for treasonable felony and acts of terrorism charges.

The Attorney General made the submission during an appearance on Channels Television on Wednesday night.

Speaking on the calls to release Kanu, Malami submitted that he does not know if the move would contribute to the healing of the Southeast.

“I have not accessed the security situation of that in terms of being a solution,” he said.

The minister stated that the out-of-court settlement to free the IPOB leader has not been discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said, “Pardon is a function of conviction in the Nigerian context and as far as I know, Nnamdi Kanu has not been convicted yet so the idea of pardoning him is premature against the backdrop that the trials associated with him have not been concluded but one thing I can tell you is that he is standing trial and the trial continues as at today. I am not ruling out any possibility but the out-of-court or political solution is not immediately on the table.”