>
Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has hailed the recent call by the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for the unconditional release of the its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021.
Soludo had demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Kanu during the campaign kick-off of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), on Saturday.
He added that if the detained IPOB leader cannot be released unconditionally by the Federal Government, he should be released to him, saying he was ready to stand surety for him.
However, the pro-Biafran group in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Monday, said while they welcome the development, the issue of granting bail or standing surety does not arise at this time because the Federal Government has breached the order of a superior court of competent jurisdiction.
The group emphasised that Kanu had been discharged on October 13, 2022, by the Court of Appeal and do not have any need for surety because there is no charge hanging on his head as of today.
“We have gone beyond the issue of surety or no surety, every genuine call and demand in the prevailing circumstance should be firmly directed at calling out on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately obey the order for the unconditional release of Kanu made by its own court.
“Though the said call for the unconditional release of our leader is belatedly coming three months and one day, after the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division, in its erudite judgement delivered on October 13, 2022, discharged and acquitted the leader of IPOB and all the remaining eight-count amended charges preferred against him, and consequently directed for his unconditional release.
“The landmark judgment further prohibited the Federal Government from further detaining our leader or even presenting him for trial on any indictment or offence whatsoever before any court in Nigeria.
“It is important therefore, to clarify that our leader has no form of indictment or even charge pending against him today before any court by the authority of this judgement.
“The issue of granting bail or otherwise does not arise by any stretch of consideration or imagination, because it is the Federal Government that is today in breach of this order of superior court of competent jurisdiction.
“May we also remind Governor Soludo and others, that Kanu’s current incarceration is not sanctioned by any law known to man, it is unconstitutional and affront to constitutional democracy and rule of law.
“Further to the above, is the fact that Kanu has no case to answer again, therefore, the need for surety does not arise, instead Soludo should gear all his efforts towards persuading and compelling on the lawless rulers of Nigeria to obey their own law.
“It is to be pointed out further, that this kind of plea is the reason why the rulers of Nigeria have no regard for the rule of law, why should we be pleading with them to obey their own court orders directing for the unconditional release of Kanu? It’s compelling and mandatory on their part to obey their own court orders.
“Federal Government is today in grave contempt of the orders of court of its own court, and their appeal before the Supreme Court can not justify the present illegal incarceration of our leader in a solitary confinement in DSS,” Powerful said.
