There has been mixed reactions to the arrest and extradition of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
The attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami announced yesterday that the IPOB leader was arrested on Sunday.
Kanu who later appeared in court yesterday in handcuffs was remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) until July 26, 2021 for continuation of trial
The remand order was sequel to an application by counsel to the federal government, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran.
Ruling on the remand application, Justice Binta Nyako held that the prosecution should inform Kanu’s lawyer of his re-arrest and remand in the custody of the DSS, as well as the next, adjourned date.
Although Malami kept details of Kanu’s re-arrest under wraps, ThisDay quoted a source as saying that the IPOB chief was apprehended in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by Interpol following an intensive search for him by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in collaboration with its foreign counterparts.
Recall that Kanu and four others were arraigned before the Federal High Court on a six-count criminal charge bordering on treasonable felony in June 2016.
Though they pleaded not guilty to the charge, the court, on April 25, 2017 admitted Kanu to bail in the sum of N100 million and three sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a serving senator.
This made Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe stand in for him.
The IPOB leader jumped bail and escaped from Nigeria in 2017 following the invasion of Afaraukwu country home, Abia State, by security operatives.
Consequently, his bail was revoked in March 2019 and a bench warrant for his arrest issued in November 2019, following his long absence in court for his trial.
INC, ACF, Afenifere, others caution FG
Reacting to his extradition and arraignment in court, the Igbo National Council (INC) urged the federal government to tread with caution.
The INC president, Mr. Chilos Godsent, said in a statement yesterday that Kanu’s arrest could trigger protests if not well managed.
“We have read with rude shock the news of the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and its extradition to Nigeria.
“We wish to advise the Federal Government of Nigeria to tread with caution as the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is capable of heightening the tension in Nigeria in view of the fragile state of the Nigeria State. The arrest may trigger heavy protest in many parts of Nigeria if cares is not taken in handling the issues.
“INC, therefore, advises the Federal Government of Nigeria to seek for a more peaceful means to resolve the root causes of the agitations by the various component ethnic nationalities in Nigeria seeking for proper structuring of Nigeria and grant of rights to Self-determination.
“On the foregoing, the Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide is still studying the situation and will respond appropriately at the right time,” he said.
Similarly, the pan-northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, cautioned the federal government to handle Kanu with care.
ACF, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe said: “The best way out is to keep strictly to the rule of law. Kanu and his collaborators must be made to understand that Nigeria is not a failed state and the rule of law still exists here.
“For now, we do not have details of the immediate circumstances leading to his arrest. We do not even know where he was arrested whether in Nigeria or outside.
“We, however, know that the man has no respect for the country called Nigeria and has vowed to destroy the country. Sadly, he enjoys collaboration of some Nigerians who for some reasons want the country destroyed.
“He also enjoys the support of international arm dealers who know that he has the capacity to cause a war to break out in Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy.”
For its part, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) said it remained apprehensive until the full course of justice took effect on Kanu.
“He must now face additional charges of incitement to violence and killings of people of other ethnicities, particularly northerners, security personnel as a result of his open incitement.
“More importantly, we don’t see Kanu’s arrest affecting the issue of Biafra. While he faces trial hopefully, the CNG is insisting that this is the right time to tackle the Biafran issue once for all.
“We stand our ground that a referendum must be held to determine this and all other agitations for self-determination from any part of the country,” said the CNG in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Suleiman,
Similarly, Kanu’s family prayed the federal government not to maltreat their son saying the IPOB committed no crime to deserve persecution.
Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel, who addressed journalists in Umuahia, Abia State after the arrest and arraignment of the IPOB leader was made public said his brother was only demanding freedom for Biafrans, which is their fundamental human right.
He warned the federal government to handle “my brother” with caution, adding that the whole world is watching.
“My brother (Kanu) has awoken the consciousness of Nigerians about the goings-on in the country.
“He stood for the truth, and heaven is on the part of anyone standing for the truth. My brother committed no crime, and the whole world is watching,” he said.
But the Archbishop of Enugu Provence, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev Emmanuel Chukwuma, welcomed Kanu’s arrest and described it as good development.
The cleric accused IPOB leader of jumping bail, adding that he didn’t appreciate Abaribe and others who secured his bail.
“Rather, when he was abroad, he was instigating people to cause confusion. We warned him several times to stop that. It’s not only that; we felt that if you are a leader and you are part of the problem of Nigeria, you should come down here, so we can discuss with others on how to solve the problem,” he added.
However, the acting leader of pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Mr. Ayo Adebanjo faulted Kanu’s arrest a foreign country was not supposed to have handed over Kanu to the Nigerian government while he was enjoying a political asylum.
Addressing journalists yesterday at his at his Sanya-Ogbo, Ijebu-Ode residence, Adebanjo said. “Anybody fighting for revolution must be ready for that; I was also a victim of treasonable felony. They tried some of us; what the British did, they did for Action Group when they repatriated Chief (Anthony) Enahoro.
“They didn’t do it while we were in Ghana, the government there protected us. He (Kanu) had been giving asylum, they then sent him back. It is wrong and improper, having granted him asylum, to hand him over to his enemy, I condemn it…”
Meanwhile, lead counsel for IPOB and Kanu, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, demanded that Kanu’s fundamental rights must be respected while in custody.
“We have just confirmed through correspondence from the Federal High Court, Abuja, the arrest and the extradition of my client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by the Nigerian State.
“It is to be noted, therefore, that no matter the gravity of the offences or charge preferred against him, Section 36(5) of the Constitution still presumes him innocent of the allegation. The legal team ably led by my humble self will meet them in court on this date.
“We insist that he must be given a fair hearing/trial, which is his constitutionally protected right. His safety as also guaranteed under our law throughout the trial and afterwards should be enforced.
“Our fortified legal team will be meeting to agree on strategies within the context of the charge and disposition of the court. Await further updates from us as we progress,” he said in a statement.
Why I I jumped bail
Meanwhile, Kanu told the court that he abandoned his trial and sneaked out of the country following a threat to his life.
He sought the permission of the court to speak, shortly after he re-arraigned.
Though he did not have any legal representation, Kanu said he did not deliberately abscond from the court to avoid trial.
He said his disappearance was due to the unlawful invasion of his house by security agents, in an operation, he said resulted in the death of many innocent people.
He added that he went underground to avoid being killed.
“My lord, my house was invaded and people were killed. I would have been killed too if I had not hidden myself. That was why I have been unable to attend court.
“I would have been killed the way others were killed when my house was invaded.”
With Punch report
