The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed deep joy that through their intervention, the detained leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was eventually produced for trial in court.
Federal government’s inability to produce Kanu in court earlier after his abduction and repatriation from Kenya generated anxiety that IPOB had to declare every Monday a ghost Monday, starting from August 9, 2021 until Kanu regains freedom.
But reacting to his appearance in court Thursday, Ohanaeze said it was made possible by their diplomatic engagement with the federal government and appealed to Igbo youth to exercise restraints while further efforts were being made to ensure his eventual release and others held over the agitation for Biafra restoration.
According to statement issued by the Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze would not relent until the issue is sorted out through dialogue and alternative dispute resolution.
“The diplomatic engagements by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide under the able leadership of His Excellency, Ambassador Professor George Obiozor has apparently yielded a positive result as the Federal Government has through the Department of State Security bowed to the overwhelming demands of Ndigbo by producing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Court.
“This is one step forward in Ohanaeze’s determined moves towards ensuring that the Afara Ukwu Prince is set free in no distant time.”
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja had rejected Nnamdi Kanu’s request to be transferred to Kuje Correctional Centre.
The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, had filed an application before the court seeking to be transferred from the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) to the Nigerian Correctional Service Centre in Kuje.
The court has also fixed November 10 for hearing the application of Kanu, challenging the competency of the charge preferred against him by the federal governmentJustice Binta Nyako fixed the date after counsel to Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, informed that he had a notice of preliminary objection challenging the fresh seven-count charge filed against his client.
Earlier, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Abubakar, told the court that an amended seven counts had already been filed and he prayed the court for the charges to be read to Kanu to take his plea.Following the complaint by the legal team, the judge ordered that three people, of Kanu’s choice, be allowed to visit him every Thursday at the DSS facility.
Although journalists were not allowed into the courtroom by the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Ejiofor briefed the media shortly after the proceedings.He said a notice of preliminary objection filed to challenge the amended charge would be taken by the court on November10.
