Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a former governor of Anambra State and prominent Igbo, has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari's security council, pointing out that not even an Igbo man is included in the group.
Nnamdi Kanu had been ordered to remain in solitary detention by the national security council notwithstanding the Appeal Court ruling clearing him of all allegations levelled by the Buhari administration.
On Monday, Ezeife claimed during an appearance on Arise Television's The Morning Show that a government advisory body like the security council should have taken into account the increased risk of terrorism that Nnamdi Kanu's continued arrest would bring.
“Our leader, Prof. George Obiozor, the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, called me the same day the issue came up and said that he was preparing for us to go the President to persuade him to release Nnamdi Kanu and very soon, he’ll organise, get an appointment to go the President.
“As for the national security council, well, I don’t know how independent the national security council is. But whichever council, national insecurity or security council, should look at the atmosphere and make a judgement based on realities on ground.
“By the way, no Igboman is in that place. And this is one of the things that annoy the young men of Nigeria because the Federal government of Buhari is making every effort to push the South East out of Nigeria.
“But they cannot push us out of Nigeria. We’re here. We voted with our feet for one Nigeria. The national security council should have done a bit better than joining the government as such.”