IPOB Case:What FG Told Court About Nnamdi Kanu

The case between the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and the Federal government of Nigeria has lasted for about five years now.

Since 2018 till now, Kanu has been charged with treasonable felony. FG said that Kanu between 2018 and 2021, made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria with the intent to incite violence, in furtherance of an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people, and directed members of the public to burn down every federal facility in Lagos resulting in major economic loss in the country.

However, appearing in court today, FG through its lawyer, Mr. David Kaswe, told court that the Federal government spent huge resources to get Nnamdi Kanu back to the country. He maintained that the IPOB leader was brought back to the country by due process of the law, contrary to postulations in some quarters.

His words: “My lords, it took four years and huge resources to get the Respondent arrested and brought back to face the charges against him.

“The Prosecution is ever willing and eager to proceed with trial of the Appellant.

“We are saying that the trial court was even wrong to have struck out the eight counts as it did.

“It is only after FG has produced all its witnesses and tendered its evidence that the Appellant could claim that no prima-facie case was established.

“Finally, we urge this court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit”, Kaswe added.

In his argument, Chief Ozekhome, SAN, alleged that his client (Mazi Kanu) was forcefully abducted from Kenya and illegally renditioned back to the country.

He told the court that his client was first arraigned on December 23, 2015 and was later granted bail on April 25, 2017.

“My lords, he was enjoying this bail without breaching the terms. However, he was in his ancestral home when agents of the Respondent invaded his home in September 2017. He barely escaped alive by sheer providence and found himself first in Isreal and later in London.

“When the Appellant travelled from London to Kenya, agents of the Respondents, on June 27, 2021, forcefully abducted the Appellant, tortured and renditioned him back to the country without following any extradition process”, Ozekhome submitted.