Britain to issue temporary travel documents IPOB leader
Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The presidency yesterday in Abuja dismissed the latest threat by the fugitive leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, asking Nigerians to ignore it.
This is coming as Britain is planning to issue temporary travel documents to the IPOB leader.
Kanu who was reportedly sighted in Israel through a video last week, had threatened to return to Nigeria “with hell.”
Reacting to the threat, the presidency, in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said Nigeria under the leadership of Buhari is strong enough to defend its territory.
According to the statement, the renewed threat by Kanu is strange and a mere distraction, which he said would not be allowed to strain Nigeria’s cordial relationship with other countries.
It also added that Nigeria maintains its relationship with other countries, adding that such countries also reciprocate the relationship by respecting the sovereignty of Nigeria.
The presidency concluded the statement by advising Nigerians that they had nothing to fear.
The statement read: “The presidency wishes to restate that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari is strong enough to defend its territory against any threat, assuring all Nigerians that there is no reason to worry about the hollow outburst by Nnamdi Kanu, the disputed leader of IPOB on returning to the country ‘with hell.’
“Instead, we see the re-enactment of his bizarre, episodic threat as a mere distraction which will not be allowed to detract from the existing cordial relationships between Nigeria and other countries.
“The Buhari administration is in constant touch with other friendly nations and has the best assurances that they would continue to reciprocate the respect Nigeria has for the sovereignty of their nations.
“Nigerians have nothing to fear from this.”
Meanwhile, Britain is planning to issue temporary travel documents to the IPOB leader.
A source privy to the information, told journalists that Britain had informed the federal government that it
was about issuing the documents to Kanu who also holds British citizenship.
According to the source, British authorities told the federal government that they meant no harm for Nigeria by the move.
“British authorities have briefed the Nigerian government about the temporary travel documents they were about to issue to Nnamdi Kanu, who holds a Nigeria-UK dual citizenship that they have the best intentions towards the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the source said.
