By Bernard Davidson
The attempts by Nnamdi Kanu and members of his legal team to rigmarole around the Supreme Court judgment which upheld continued prosecution against him for treasonable charges, is laughable. Not that I outrightly criticise his lawyers for wanting their cut from the levies in dollars, pound sterling and naira collected from brainwashed vulnerable contributors across the globe, but I expected a more circumspect Kanu. I feel gobsmacked on his behalf over the fact that he is being outwitted by his team of ‘respected’ counsels. They know that his battle is a lost one. Yet, they urge him on, fine-tuning request after request before the very Nigerian Courts that he once victimized. Although, standing proxy for the highest Court of the land is not my intent, I state firmly that it did justice by throwing out efforts to discharge and acquit Kanu, for no case submission. That is because, he sure does have a case to answer. For instance, what is his current stance on the maiming of security forces and the wanton destruction of government facilities and critical infrastructure that occurred under his orders? Where does he stand today on earlier repeated calls for the killing of notable citizens perceived as opposed to the clamour for a divided Nigeria? Who is this daydreaming Kanu? It is surprising that he wants everyone to believe his deceit.
Sun Tzu, the renowned strategist did say that “what the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins but excels in winning with ease”. This opinion is far from true for Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB’s frontrunner agitator for secession. Nigerians recall vividly how Kanu, in seeking to amalgamate the States and people of the Southeast into one separate country he would eventually rule over, ferociously charged from his safe abode in the United Kingdom about how he could dismantle Nigeria, overrun its forces and soldier his way into the eldorado that only he and his sympathizers saw. While he arrogated more authority to himself than he could muster, it was rather unfortunate that some gullible sympathisers fell prey to his vain theatrics. Not only did he become a larger-than-life threat to security, but he also incited a reasonable size of these unsuspecting youngsters who identified with his rhetoric, into believing that the only route to a free Biafra was a violently earned one. During the EndSARS, Kanu claimed ownership of the destruction in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and parts of the South East where may Policemen and Soldiers were gruesomely and willfully killed. It was legendary. Kanu cheered while many families cried. We will not forget this. We knew today, a day of reckoning and judgement would come. It indeed has.
His order that elections be boycotted and the burning of INEC offices in blackmailing the Federal Government was distastefully enforced by his sympathisers. He dared State and Federal Governments with the mandatory sit-at-home declared across the Southeast. Innocent Southeasterners and others alike who in defiance attempted to carry on their businesses suffered terribly for it and some met their untimely end under the enforcement of his orders. In resorting to a violent struggle, he profoundly failed to envision the strength of what the positive channeling of his ingenuity could achieve. Kanu chose to become a menace not only to Nigeria and the Southeast but to himself.
Unfortunately, Kanu himself had no grip over the noose he set. Some of his foot soldiers turned out to be the most dreaded terrorists that part of the country had experienced in its long history. For instance, Ikonson, who commanded IPOB’s military wing, Nnachi aka Dragon and Temple among several other emissaries of his, masterminded prison breaks, countless brutal attacks on police stations, wanton killing of security personnel and other notable citizens in the South-South and Southeast zones. That same Kanu, cannot now excuse himself of the culpability of terrorism. In denial of many sorts, Kanu and his acolyte, Simon Ekpa are in argument about who is violent and bloody. Both were. They chose to forget that those who live by the sword also die by the sword.
Some facts for public note are that in 2023, the Tony Blair Institute of Global Change charged Nigeria’s government against overlooking the threats posed by IPOB, Bandits and Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists who had the capacity to disrupt the 2023 general elections. Further damning for Kanu and his lieutenants at large was another rating by the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) which ranked IPOB the 10th deadliest terror group in the world with over 57 attacks that caused 40 deaths. Nnamdi Kanu may probably be mistaken about what a proscribed organization is, by his recent frantic antics at twisting the judicial narrative to evade the gong. His respected legal scribes must enlighten him that he is not on a suspension that can be reconsidered after the sudden paraphrasing of court arguments. He must be reminded that Counter Terrorism protocols prescribes for the proscription of an organization that commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism, promotes or encourages terrorism or is concerned in terrorism. These were the grounds for which IPOB was proscribed and Kanu is the group’s leader. He must quit the theatrics and own up for his crimes. Afterall, if history serves me right, he bragged one too many times that he could die for the cause of a free Biafra.
While this is not to gloat over his fate, another sad reality about the deluded ambition of IPOB’s Kanu was his penchant for unearned wealth. As he ruminates seeking freedom, this once-upon-a-time revered icon stole so much from his “beloved” people. The illicitly acquired wealth he amassed from the contributions of his gullible followers afforded him an exaggerated personae that has now eroded. The unfortunate thing is that he opened the door that is now being exploited by his comrade-in-charge, Simon Ekpa and other dissidents alike. A door that Kanu can no longer access.
As Nnamdi Kanu considers a deceitful route to freedom, it must be known that “the chickens will come home to roost”. There is no hiding place for Nnamdi Kanu, whether he pretends that his rendition from Kenya was illegal or feigns ignorance over actions that led to the needless devastation in the South East. He might as well groom the best of lawyers to argue for him, but the sacred fact remains that Kanu cannot evade justice. As he runs helter-skelter looking for an escape route from the hangsman noose, he must concede that he has been running aimlessly and has to face the music that he has been playing all the while. He is the leader of a terrorist organization which currently stands proscribed. He poses grave danger to the sovereignty and unity of Nigeria. Any attempts at securing him legal acquittal may just remain a futile one. For a while now, Kanu has been desirous of being transferred to Kuje prison so he can seamlessly hold court and feel in charge. He needs not worry about that. Same way he prefers Kuje prison, he would also fancy moving to Gashau Prison in Yobe or Federal Prison in Bama, Borno State. The innocent victims of his wicked and malicious actions must get justice. The lesson therein however, is that his plight should serve as a deterrence to those who create storms and hope to hide when it rains. No other route lies ahead for Kanu, except the one to be decided by the courts, guided by the laws of our land.
Bernard Davidson resides in Port Harcourt, Rivers State