A security expert, Col. Hassa Stan-Labo (rtd) has submitted that the federal government of Nigeria is making the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu more popular by continually keeping him in detention despite court orders.
Stan-Labo said a major way to douse the tension in the southeast is to release the Biafra agitator in compliance with court orders.
While stating that some of the actions and pronouncements of Nnamdi Kanu might have been offensive to the Nigerian state, the retired military officer noted that keeping him behind bars is making him a hero in the southeast and giving him more relevance among his followers.
Col Stan-Labo, therefore, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release the detained IPOB leader from solitary confinement at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) where he has been since June 2021 following his extraordinary rendition from Kenya.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, he noted that: “Frankly speaking, further incarceration will only make him more and more relevant, only heightens the heroship over him. He is a hero now, whether we accept it or not. And we made him the hero.
“We have made him a hero in the South East. If he comes out now, he can contest governorship election in any of the states. Nobody will even ask him if he’s from the state.”
Col. Stan-Labo further urged President Tinubu to engage IPOB members and dialogue with them on their grievances as a way of reducing the tension and insecurity in the southeast.
According to him, the government should be diplomatic about the matter.
“One major priority area in the southeast, which I think will cool off a great deal of grouse, is for us to bring out Kanu; that gentleman, pull him out. Stop this incarceration.
“I know some of his pronouncements or maybe lines of his actions and so on were offensive to the Nigerian state, and there was need to take certain actions.
“But you see, Nigeria itself is a family; that’s my picture of Nigeria. When part of the family feel offended, as parents, as a father you sit the gentleman down or the child down and try to find out what the problems are.
“Can we start talking with Kanu? Can we start talking with IPOB? Can we start talking with other groups? I think a conversation with some of the groups will go a long way to addressing these issues.
“We must not apply the stick always, bring in the carrots sometimes, and let see the carrots and sticks diplomacy at play.
“I think we can do that, and if we do that, the situation in the South East will be greatly doused.”
