According to a copy of a handwritten ‘statement’ signed by Kanu and dated October 23, the 48-year-old pro-Biafran agitator apologized to the president and Igbo elders for insulting statements he made in their address.
The statement was written while the leader of IPOB was in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and on the official letterhead of DSS.
“Reference to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil, and Paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that I unreservedly apologize and will be doing so in a private letter to the President,” Kanu wrote.
Vincent Obetta, Kanu’s lawyer, confirmed to Sahara Reporters that the statement was written by his client. However, he dismissed reports that stated his client apologized to Buhari in a separate letter.
“Until I see that [letter] I cannot comment,” he added.
In his statement, Kanu also admitted to saying “uncomplimentary things” about former president Goodluck Jonathan and Igbo elders which “should not have happened because it is un-African to be rude or insolent to elders”.
He described the IPOB as a group of people who wish to group themselves together “for the purpose of Evangelism or going out to the streets to distribute leaflets and preach the message of lawful existence of Biafra as stipulated in the UN Charter.”
Read the full text of Kanu’s statement below:
“Nnamdi Kanu, Male Igbo Christian, aged 48 (i.e. born 1967, the year Biafra was announced), of Afaraukwu-Ibeku (Umuahia-North LG, Abia State), of dual Nigerian-British nationality, living in Pilkington Road, SE London, UK.
“I can confirm that I, Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra worldwide is a legally registered and duly recognized body at the United Nations pursuing the rights of a specific indigenous people, in this case Biafra, to seek self-determination according to the said charter the reason for the formation of the Indigenous People of Biafra is to avail those referring to themselves as Biafrans the opportunity made available as a result of the United Nations Declaration to seek the peaceful re-Birth of Biafra in line with international laws, lack of holistic development in the socio-economic landscape of Nigeria, lack of youth employment, corruption in high offices, and economic repression.
“Opportunities no longer existed for the majority of the people, and especially young graduates to find meaningful employment in the job market, general hardship, brutal repression of civil and human rights coupled with system that shuns inward investment contributed to the thinking behind the formation of IPOB.
“The People of Biafra all over the world have particular emphasis on those residing in the diaspora it is not advised that those in Nigeria contribute. No contribution is accepted from those in political office or from organizations only individuals belonging to those organizations may choose to contribute if they wish to the volunteer force. IPOB is a group of people who may wish to group themselves together for the purpose of Evangelism or going out to the streets to distribute leaflets and preach the message of lawful existence of Biafra as stipulated in the UN Charter. There is no armed conflict agitating and any reference to such is purely designed to stop the Nigerian Armed Forces ostensibly the police from coming out and killing innocent people.
“IPOB volunteers are modeled on exactly the same tenet as the world renowned Salvation Army Front. Its ambitions are army but it does not carry any weapons. The same thing applies to the volunteers of IPOB. There is no arms training involved. I am the Director of Radio Biafra and solely responsible for the output the (genre?) of Radio Biafra is strictly to capture attention and imagination and not designed to incite anyone to violence.
“For very many years the Nigerian state and Nigerians in general have continued to witness poor economic management, fraud, corruption, and mismanagement of every sector of the economy. Therefore, as Radio Biafra programs were designed to wake up the public from their slumber and address the issues of the time, which is youth unemployment, lack of infrastructural provisions, poor electricity, an absence of rural development, and conspicuous absence of respect for human rights.
“The area as envisaged as Biafra are predominantly South-East and South-South territories having cultural, linguistic, traditional, and commonality in value system. Reference to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil, and Paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that I unreservedly apologize and will be doing so in a private letter to the President. Before PMP there was the administration of Goodluck Jonathan I also said some uncomplimentary things about him and Igbo elders as well, which I now recognize should have happened because it is un-African to be rude or insolent to elders. All I was trying to do is draw attention to the problems afflicting society and what society is doing about it.
“The areas intended for the Biafran being espoused by Indigenous People of Biafra are Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Anambra, Bayelsa Delta, Edo (but only Igbamke), Kogi (only Igala), and Imo States. The mission statement of Radio Biafra is dedicated to the defences of the rights of the indigenous people of Biafra and ultimately the restoration of the REpublic of Biafra in line with United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous People
Nnamdi Kanu
23/10/2015″
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