Minister denies issuing ultimatum to Israel on Kanu Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday,  said there was no truth in the reports suggesting that he issued an ultimatum to Israel to return the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to Nigeria.

Mohammed made the clarification while answering questions from State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The minister explained that he was outside the country and was not in a position to issue a statement on the matter when the news of Kanu’s resurfacing in Israel broke.

He said, “I was in London when I heard the story about Nnamdi Kanu resurfacing in Israel. I was not in a position to make any statement.

“But before I knew it, within a few hours, I saw my picture with a story saying that I had actually given Israel an ultimatum to return Nnamdi Kanu otherwise, we will send them missiles.

“I just laughed. It speaks to what we are talking about fake news because it is probably the biggest threat in the run-up to the elections.”

Mohammed said appropriate authorities in the country would speak on the issue at the appropriate time.

He added, “At the appropriate time, the various authorities will make a statement about the issue of Kanu.

“But this has proved that all along when Kanu disappeared and the mob was asking the Nigerian Army to account for the whereabouts of Kanu; I kept saying that Kanu knew where he was.

“He was not in the custody of the Federal Government. We have been vindicated today. Any other statement will be made in due course.”