Nigeria: Kanu’s petition to protect Biafra’s interest, says Akinterinwa

A former Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, said the letter by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to President Joe Biden was in furtherance of his agitation for the disintegration of the country and the establishment of the Republic of Biafra.

He also noted that the US refusal to relocate AFRICOM from Stuttgart, Germany, to Nigeria also coincides with Kanu’s request that the US should not sell arms to Nigeria.

Akinterinwa in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, said, “Since Kanu is requesting that the US should not supply arms to Nigeria, it is very logical; why would Nnamdi Kanu accept the relocation when AFRICOM is most likely to be an instrument against what Kanu is asking for – the Republic of Biafra?”

The foreign policy expert said Buhari committed a diplomatic faux pas by channelling his request for security assistance to the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, during their virtual meeting instead of President Biden.

Meanwhile, a security expert, AIG Augustine Iwar (retd.), said the US’ response to Kanu’s petition would be determined by American strategic interest in the country.

He further argued that the Biden government would also be guided by the security outlook and other critical factors in the country over the past 20 years.

Iwar, however, noted that it would not be good for the US not to come to Nigeria’s assistance, adding that Kanu simply wanted the nation to implode.

The retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police said, “If the country implodes, it would justify what he has been saying. I think the US strategic interest in this part of the world will dictate what they will do and I’m not sure it is politically and strategically beneficial to the US if Nigeria collapses.”

Also, retired Col. Hassan Stan-Labo acknowledged Kanu’s grouse but noted that nearly every Nigerian had a grievance against the Buhari regime, stressing that this was not enough reason to support criminals to destroy the country.

According to him, if the US refused to sell arms to Nigeria, their decision would not be based on Kanu’s petition or arguments.