A lot have been said and written by various interest groups and persons about Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB since his recent kidnap/abduction/arrest in a foreign land: his “mysterious” extradition to Nigeria; his subsequent arraignment in Abuja Court and his Court-ordered detention in DSS facilities, all at the instance of this Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.

Let me start by stating very clearly that I am not a fan of the said Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB. I don't know him and I have never met nor have anything to do with him.

Nnamdi Kanu was relatively an unknown entity until this regime of Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd) brought him to limelight, for the wrong reasons.

So, for any rational mind, the purported re-arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu shouldn't necessarily attract any form of excitement, safe for sober reflection as there are more weightier matters begging for attention.

If the strategy, energy and resources deployed by this regime of President Muhammadu Buhari to “capture” just one Nnamdi Kanu has been deployed to tackle the numerous challenges facing the country, including the murderous terrorist killer-Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, bandits, Boko Haram, rustlers, and so on, which are largely the creation and/or with subterraneous facilitation of this Buhari’s regime, Nigeria would have since retraced her steps to the path of ensuring the security of lives and properties, which is the primary purpose of government, and socio-economic development.

The leadership of Miyetti Allah, who has openly claimed responsibility for several atrocities, including the activities of killer-Fulani herdsmen all over the country, is well known to this regime of Maj-Gen Buhari. But no consequences! No arrest! No prosecution!

The leadership and locations of the armed killer-bandits rampaging parts of northern Nigeria and, indeed, everywhere, including carving out exclusive territories for themselves within the sovereign Nigeria state are well-known to this regime. But, no consequences! No arrest! No prosecution!

Instead, what we see are top government officials, including state governors patronising them with humongous ransoms, negotiations for a possible amnesty and other palliatives.

The locations and leadership of the deadly Boko Haram terrorists and mass-murderers are well-known to this regime of President Muhammadu Buhari. But, no consequences! No arrest! No prosecution!

Instead, what we see are top government officials, including state governors patronising them with humongous ransoms, rehabilitation and reintegration of the captured Boko Haram terrorists into the Nigerian military and police.

Cabinet ministers and a particular governor in the north, in this same regime of Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd), have since been identified as sponsors and commanders of Boko Haram terrorists, among others. But, no consequences! No arrest! No prosecution! No sanction whatsoever.

Isn't it then curious that, this same regime of President Buhari would spare nothing to unleash mayhem in the South-east of Nigeria and some selected parts of the country, killing many unarmed innocent people in the name of fishing/flushing out their perceived IPOB members and imaginary enemies of the powers that be?

Now, what is there to be excited about in spending so much scarce resources in the face of the accumulated huge foreign debts and time by this “Federal Government” (or is it “Fulani Government”) of Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, just to repatriate one man to the gross neglect of the weightier matters and gross insecurity everywhere, with massive human blood needlessly flowing across the country unabated?

What is there to be excited about with the purported arrest and repatriation of just one man from abroad when many known terrorists and criminals within are freely roaming the streets of Nigeria unhindered and living in opulence on the blood of innocent citizens of Nigeria as celebrities?

What is there to be excited about in the repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu while under the very watch of this same Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari's regime, military check-points are mounted almost every kilometre only in a section of the country, which President Buhari himself described as a dot; where the citizens from that part of the country are humiliatingly made to disembark from their vehicles and compulsorily made to walk a long distance with their hands raised up in surrender and/or as conquered people at a supposedly “peace time,” when the country isn’t officially at war?

Has anybody ever wondered why it took this regime of Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari clear 4 days (from Saturday 24/06/2021 to Tuesday 27/06/2021) after the “abduction”/extradiction of Nnamdi Kanu from wherever, to announce the “arrest” and arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu, if he was brought into Nigeria under normal and standard conditions; and if his fundamental human rights have not been violently violated only to wait for his condition to be stable before presenting him to the public for prosecution?

What is there to be excited about by the purported arrest of just one man who was brought into limelight from obscurity, “deified” and “radicalised” by this same Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, when the core issues of Equity, Fairness and Justice are still begging for commensurate attention?

What is there to be excited about in the arrest of just one armless “fugitive” when the blood of innocent citizens are flowing ceaselessly across the country from the actions of known criminals while this regime of President Muhammadu Buhari stands aloof as if they can't be bothered?

Until the core issues necessitating the sporadic separatist agitations across the country are properly addressed, until core issues of equal opportunities and equal treatment for all irrespective of tribe, religion and/or place of birth/origin are firmly resolved, until the rule of law and equal application/interpretation of our laws are given prominence, until the born-to-rule mentality and undue sense of entitlement as though the geographical area called Nigeria is a private property of some people in this country is properly addressed, until any and every citizen is allowed to grow and develop according to his/her natural endowment, potential, ability and capability, until the “Federal Government” stops robbing Adams to pay Adamu, until Nigeria is truly anchored on the core principles of Equity, Fairness and Justice, so long will those in authority and power continue to pursue shadows instead of substance.

Now that the major nightmare of Mr President, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, called Nnamdi Kanu, has been “victoriously captured” at great costs to Nigeria and effectively quarantined in the custody of Mr President’s DSS, could Mr President now, please, begin to address the existential challenges facing the country, Nigeria?

Could Mr President, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, please, now start the healing process of the numerous diseases plaguing Nigeria, many of which are perpetrated under his watch, to which all the Nnamdi Kanus and Igbohos of this world are mere symptoms?

Mr President, Sir, tomorrow is pregnant. Power is transient. No man is God Almighty.

•Prof Onyebeadi writes from FCT, Abuja.

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