President Bola Tinubu has been urged not to allow himself to be held hostage by those bent on continued incarceration of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
 
 House of Representatives member representing Umuahia North/Umuahia South/Ikwuano Federal Constituency of Abia State, Obi Aguocha, noted that it behooves Tinubu to toe the path of inclusion and dialogue, which remains the panacea for peace in the South East.
  
The lawmaker said as the direct representative of Kanu, he remains available to engage and facilitate meaningful dialogue for the resolution of the imbroglio.
   
Aguocha stated this in a statement in Abuja, while reacting to comments attributed to former President Muhammadu Buhari that he had the option of eliminating Kanu, but chose to get him arrested.
   
Buhari’s former spokesman, Femi Adesina, in a new book, which he unveiled recently, had quoted the former president as saying that bringing Kanu back to face trial in Nigeria was a favour.
   
According to Adesina, the former President said the Federal Government had the option to eliminate Kanu, but thought bringing him back to Nigeria to face trial was the best option.
  
 However, Aguocha said the remarks by Buhari regarding Kanu’s handling are deeply concerning. The lawmaker said suggesting that the elimination of a citizen was an option, even in retrospect, is alarming and raises serious questions about the commitment to the rule of law and human rights. 
   
He said that in a democratic society, it is fundamental that all individuals, irrespective of their actions or positions, are treated according to the law. 
   
“The suggestion of ‘elimination’ as a viable option undermines the principles of justice and due process,” he said. Aguocha said it is imperative that leaders adhere to and promote these values, ensuring that all actions, especially those concerning life and liberty, are grounded in legality and respect for human rights.

He added: “The Supreme Court of Nigeria, in its recent judgment, condemned Buhari’s government, the attack on the home of Kanu and also his rendition from Kenya. For the former President to summarily suggest that being subjected to such illegality was a favour for a citizen is totally reckless and reeks of all things personal vendetta, and so far from the high standards of civility expected from a leader.