The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity has said he can neither confirm nor deny whether President Muhammadu Buhari signed Presidential Proclamation which forbids, outlaws Nnamdi Kanu's IPOB.
TORI News had
reported on Tuesday that in a move to take the heat off the Nigerian Army and ensure that due process is followed, President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly signed a presidential proclamation proscribing the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the group’s involvement in terrorist activities.
In a swift response to the reports, Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said on Tuesday that he is unaware of whether President Muhammadu Buhari okayed the declaration of the Indigenous People of Biafra as a terrorist organisation.
Adesina said this in response to questions he was asked during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.
Secessionist group IPOB had been declared a terrorist group by the Nigerian military on Friday. Hours later, governors of the South-East proscribed the activities of the group.
As the debate raged questions emerged about the role of President Buhari in the decision by the military with some reports suggesting he endorsed it.
Asked whether the President endorsed the proscription, Adesina said he had read reports online but could not confirm it.
“I read the report also online today, but it is not something I have discussed with him. So, I can’t confirm or deny whether that actually came up before he left the country,” Adesina who appeared on the programme via Skype said.
The Presidential aide is, however, certain that Nigeria would continue its push for the repatriation of stolen funds.
“It (talk about repatriation of funds) had come up in one meeting yesterday and it will still come up. Tomorrow, he (President Buhari) is going to hold a bilateral meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General, you can be sure that is going to be part of what will be discussed,” Adesina said.