IPOB: Court to begin Nnamdi Kanu’s ‘treason’ trial in absentia

A federal high court in Abuja is set to commence the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in his absence. A hearing notice from the court scheduled the case for November 26 during which five prosecution witnesses will testify against Kanu.

The notice was served on the federal government’s prosecution team and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the defendant’s counsel. Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him in response to years of campaign for the Inpendent Republic of Biafra through IPOB. He was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons, but skipped his bail after reportedly flouting all the conditions given to him by the court.

Owing to his absence in court, Binta Nyako, the judge who granted him bail, revoked it and ordered that he should be arrested. But Kanu’s lawyer argued that he left the country because of the invasion of his family’s residence in Abia State by soldiers during a military exercise. He prayed the court to restore the bail to enable the defendant to return to Nigeria for  trial, but the judge did not accede to the request. Despite the court’s insistence on his appearance, the IPOB leader has remained abroad and once said he jumped bail to pursue the cause of Biafra.

“Their problem is Nnamdi Kanu and the solution to their problem is referendum. They gave me conditional bail to cage me and IPOB but I refused,” he had said during a broadcast. He also said the arrest warrant against him means nothing and vowed to remain abroad to continue his campaign for a Biafran republic in the south-east. “The bench warrant against me is merely academic. It will surely be ignored by an international legal and diplomatic order that has voiced its disapproval of what is happening to IPOB  in Nigeria,” he had said.

“Self determination is not a crime but a right guaranteed under chapter A9, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004. So, what is Justice Binta Nyako seeking my arrest and trial for unless she has no intention of obeying the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which gives me the right to openly agitate for Biafra?“ Soldiers invading our community, Kanu’s brother cries out Meantime, a younger brother of the IPOB leader, Emmanuel Kanu,has raised alarm over alleged military patrol in their Isiama Afaraukwu  community, Umuahia North Council area, Abia State.

The younger Kanu who raised the alarm in a phone interview said the community had been thrown into panic over the development. He lamented that soldiers in military patrol vans suddenly stormed the community yesterday afternoon and drove past their residence. Although he said nobody has been arrested, they were not comfortable with the military deployment in the community because of their past experiences.

In his words: “We don’t want what happened at Lekki to happen again in our community”, Kanu lamented. He said they were yet to recover from the trauma and devastation of the September 14 , 2017 military raid of their compound during operation python dance. Kanu urged the military authorities not to deploy soldiers to the peaceful community to avoid intimidation and harassment of innocent residents.

Contacted, the spokesman, 14 Brigade,Ohafia, Captain Iliya, explained the military presence in Afaraukwu community as a routine patrol. He said there was no need for panic as the soldiers were not after law abiding members of the public. “It’s only those who have something to hide that will be scared at the sight of the military. Members of the community should go about their lawful businesses, we assure them of their full safety.” Vanguard