British authorities have briefed the Nigerian government about the temporary travel document they are about to issue to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who holds a Nigeria-U.K dual citizenship.
A senior Federal Government official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed this in Abuja, on Tuesday.
He explained that the British authorities had further reassured that they had the best intention towards Nigeria and its citizens.
The IPOB leader, who was sighted in Israel last week, had pledged to return to Nigeria soon, after his unceremonious disappearance from the country for about 13 months.
Kanu, who made his first public statement on a live broadcast on Radio Biafra on Sunday, was quoted as saying: “I have returned full-time and I am coming home and I will bring hell with me.’’
However, the Presidency had on October 23 dismissed the Kanu’s outburst and assured all Nigerians that there was no reason to worry about the hollow outburst by the IPOB leader.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who gave the assurance in a statement in Abuja, restated that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari was strong enough to defend its territory against any threat.
He said: “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.’’
According to him, 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,’’ he added.
