The National Security Council (NSC) rose from an emergency meeting yesterday with a declaration that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is not yet off the hook, the Thursday quashing by the Court of Appeal of the terrorism charges against him notwithstanding.
Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, differed with government, saying his client must first be released even if other charges would be filed against him.
The NSC, which advises the President on “matters relating to public security”, also directed the National Security Adviser and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to investigate the oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The council, taking a cue from the initial reaction of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to the Kanu matter, said the IPOB leader was not acquitted of the cases previously preferred against him.
It said government was considering the next step to take on the matter in due course as he has some other issues against him.
Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting, Police Affairs Minister Maigari Dingyadi, with whom were Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, said what would become of the case against Kanu would be decided in the coming days.
He said the Council only discussed the Appeal Court’s judgment, but noted that solutions to this kind of matters could be considered as long as they were not sub judice.
Besides, the NSC directed the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF) to set up a high-powered investigation committee into the crude oil theft in the Niger Delta with a view to unraveling the extent of the theft and the brains behind it.
Aregbesola said: “The Council has decided that the National Security Adviser should put in place a strong team to investigate all issues relating to the discoveries of either abandoned oil pipelines or illegal crude oil pipelines, so as to determine, one, the extent of such illegalities and perpetrators of such, and put a report for the Council and the President.”
The Chief of Defense Staff vowed that the military would sustain its tempo in fighting oil theft.
“Activities of the Armed Forces and other security agencies within the oil and gas base were also commended, but with the directive to sustain the pressure. And it is our resolve to deal decisively with those who have been involved in those illegal acts,” he said
In addition, the Council directed immediate stoppage of all illegal mining activities across Nigeria.
Everydaynews
