Fredrick Nwabufo, senior special assistant to the president on public engagement, has cautioned against romanticising criminals in the south-east.
His statement comes in the wake of the life sentence handed to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), following his terrorism conviction.
In a post on X on Friday, Nwabufo recalled the dark days when citizens and security agents in the south-east suffered at the hands of IPOB.
He said people in the south-east must prioritise law and order for continued peace and development.
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“Every family has a tale of blood, pain, and loss brought on by the violence of the proscribed group. Not so long ago,” Nwabufo said.
He said the nation’s progress depends on a clear stance against crime, setting aside politics and sentiment.
“Nations thrive on crime and punishment, law and order,” the presidential aide added.
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He said as the atmosphere in the south-east returns to that of peace, Nigerians must learn from history and avoid “resurrecting Frankenstein’s”.
“I believe our nation will be a better place if we do not always apply ourselves to the lure of making a case for criminals, setting politics or whatever sentiments aside. Nations thrive on crime and punishment, law and order,” he said.
“It is reductive to hang the security and peace of the South-East on the same convict, who, by his artifices and machinations, only a few years ago unleashed a vicious bloodletting in the zone.
“The South-East is witnessing renewed peace and the return of development and businesses. It is wise that we learn from history about the consequences of resurrecting Frankenstein’s.”
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