• Youths, family hopeful of IPOB leader’s freedom, MBF wants charges withdrawn
From Magnus Eze, Enugu, Vincent Kalu, Lagos, Okey Sampson, Umuahia and Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
As the trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, resumes of Monday, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has for the umpteenth time insisted on a political solution to the issue.
This is as Kanu’s family expressed optimism that their son would be freed at the end of his case.
The apex Igbo organisation asked the federal authorities to release Kanu to it, saying that the self-determination agitator was often misrepresented. It said that his release would engender a feeling of equity and social justice.
National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia told Saturday Sun: “In the true sense, Nnamdi Kanu represents the Igbo allergy to marginalization, injustice, inequity, high wire nepotism, unemployment, relative deprivations and all forms backpedalling that have held Nigeria down. Therefore, Nnamdi Kanu leads a movement which is in the forefront in the agitation against the above pathologies.”
According to him, the summary of what Kanu is saying is: “Be fair to Ndigbo or allow us to go.”
He, however, said that the IPOB leader’s agitation did not vitiate the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu which clamours for “one restructured Nigeria; a real federal system where each federating unit will have authority over its revenue and expenditure profiles.”
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) said the best thing to do was for the Federal Government to release the IPOB leader unconditionally.
President General of COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem wants Nigeria to show example to other African countries by allowing the rule of law to prevail.
He said: “As a nation that prides itself as the leader in Africa, we should lead by example by doing things according to the rule of law and not contrary to the laws. The unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu on Monday February 26 2024 is what the good people of the South East expect.
“We urge President Bola Tinubu to show courage and respect the rule of law by doing the right thing by ensuring Kanu’s unconditional release.
“We cannot move forward as a nation when there are different strokes for different persons or tribes.
“Sunday Igboho was unconditionally released from prison and all charges against him dropped because he is from the same tribe with the President. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Nnamdi Kanu should be released the same way Sunday Igboho was released. Enough said.”
Kanu’s younger brother and spokesman of the family, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, said the family has absolute faith in the judge that will be handling the matter.
Emmanuel who said he had long lost hope in the nation’s judicial system, however, expressed the family’s faith in the judge handling the matter.
“If I tell you as a person that I have hope in Nigerian judiciary or the judicial system, I am lying to you, but if the judge does the needful that very day, of course, I believe in her, I believe in the judge, not the judiciary, I hope she will use her discretion to take whatever decision she wants to take. That’s our position.
“We are very hopeful, unlike before. We believe this time around, things will be done differently. That’s our belief as a family.
“The only truth is that in the South East and other parts of Nigeria, the in-thing is the freeing of Nnamdi Kanu, bearing in mind that all his predictions have all come to pass.
“Nnamdi Kanu is no longer the problem now in Nigeria. He is now part of the solution and no longer the problem. So, we are very hopeful he will be set free,” he said.
When reminded that a court of competent jurisdiction had earlier freed his brother, but he was not allowed to go, Emmanuel said he was upbeat that things would unfold differently this time around.
President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Bitrus Pogu, said the Federal Government should withdraw the treason charges against Nnamdi Kanu, just as the charges against Omoyele Sowore were withdrawn.
“The MBF believes in fair play, equity and justice, and along with our friends in the South, we had in the past demanded the unconditional release of Kanu. We had made that position very clear.
“If you read our communiqué, which we presented to the public after our meeting, we demanded an unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu. The court has done that in that regard and there is no reason whatsoever for the government to disobey the rule of law; the rule should take effect on anybody in government and outside government. A court of competent jurisdiction has passed a judgement in that regard and so the federal government should obey. That is our position,” Pogu stated.
The Federal Government, with the assistance of Interpol, had on Sunday, June 26, 2021 repatriated the IPOB leader from Kenya to Nigeria to face terrorism charges.
On Thursday, October 13, 2022, Justice Oludotun Adebola of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, had declared the rendition illegal, and dropped all terrorism charges levelled against Kanu by the Federal Government.
But, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the then President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, Abubakar Malami, had appealed the judgment at the Supreme Court on behalf of the Federal Government. He averred that Kanu was only discharged but not acquitted.
The Supreme Court on December 15, 2023, heard the appeal, upturned the Appeal Court judgment and ordered that Kanu be tried at the High Court, which case comes up on Monday.
Saturday Sun investigation showed that Kanu’s counsel in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 would be seeking that the court admits their client on bail pending the determination of his trial.