IPoB to FG: Meet us at S-Court, stop hiding under endless adjournments

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, yesterday, accused the Federal Government of abandoning its case against its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hiding under a series of adjournments.

IPoB while mocking the Federal Government for allegedly abandoning the appeal it instituted against the Court of Appeal judgment discharging and acquitting Mazi Kanu, told them to meet the pro-Biafra group in court instead of tactically abandoning its case hiding under adjournments.

IPOB spoke as the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, said that begging the federal government to release him would be an insult to the memory of the late Pa Mbazulike Amechi, whose dying request to FG, to have him (Kanu) freed was ignored.

A statement by IPoB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful alleged that the Federal Government is afraid of pursuing its appeal against its leader and has abandoned the case.

IPoB’s statement read: “The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is disappointed that the Federal Government of Nigeria is hiding under endless adjournments to abandon its appeal pending in the Supreme Court against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“We are equally disappointed with the role of the Supreme Court in the illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody in Abuja. It is obvious that the Federal Government has abandoned their appeal against our supreme leader, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu at the Supreme Court because they have no case against an honest man who is devoted to the emancipation of the oppressed and down-trodden in our society.

“The detention of Mazi Kanu is the biggest court case in the history of Nigeria. It is the duty of the government to insist on diligent prosecution of the case rather than running away from their Court.

“It is laughable that the person being prosecuted by the Federal Government is the one asking them to come to court. Is this not bizarre? What is it that the Federal Government is afraid of in pursuing a case they brought at the Supreme Court against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu?

“We would like to know, since the Federal Government and the Judiciary are reluctant to hear this matter if there is any higher authority available to our leader to approach since it is not likely that the Supreme Court of Nigeria will ever hear this matter.

“It has come to our knowledge that a lot of public discourse surrounding the legal issues at the heart of this case is fueled by ignorance in some quarters and blatant mischief-making in others.

“It has therefore become incumbent upon the noble family of IPoB to put the record straight. All the faceless groups formed and sponsored by DSS for misinformation should be guided appropriately to enable them to appreciate the fact at play in this case before embarking on their usual frivolities and misinformation.

“We make bold to say that the Supreme Court of Nigeria appears to be encouraging the illegal detention of our leader without any charge by failing to fix a date to hear a matter they had already sat twice over. This is unheard of by any Supreme Court’s own rules.

“Is it not shameful that the same court that provides for accelerated hearing is the same court flouting its rules? Why has the rule not been adhered to in a matter of this magnitude, more so when the Court of Appeal discharged Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, or is it because he is an Igbo man?

“Not many people know that it was the Federal Government of Nigeria that approached her own Supreme Court to challenge the judgment of the Appeal Court that discharged our leader. So, we are at a loss to understand what the delay at the Supreme Court is all about, or do they want us to believe that they are under strict instructions from the presidency not to hear the matter before them?

“If that is the case, the Federal Government should be magnanimous enough to accept defeat. We can assure the Federal Government that we shall accept with all humility this inescapable reality”
Begging FG, an insult —IPOB leader

The lead counsel to IPOB, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri after they visited the detained leader at the detention facility of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Abuja.

In addition, he said the court of appeal had made a pronouncement freeing him given that, “it remains sacrosanct.”

According to IPOB’s lawyer, “We visited our indefatigable Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on the 28th day of August 2023, to brief him on the various intervening actions taken by the legal team ably led by Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to address pertinent concerns affecting his welfare and the failure of the DSS to avail him of his medical records.

“To this end, an application has been made to the Honourable Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory by our erudite Lead Counsel – Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN, to appoint a Magistrate that will visit and inspect the DSS facility/ where Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been held in solitary confinement since June 2021 till date, in pursuance to the relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

“Following the DSS’ refusal to avail Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu with his medical records, as directed by Justice Binta Nyako, in the judgment delivered on the 20th day of July 2023, our erudite Lead Counsel – Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, was compelled by this brazen disregard to an order of Court to initiate a contempt proceeding against the DSS and her Director General.

“Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu used the opportunity offered by the visit to extend his heartfelt gratitude to all people of good conscience and groups calling for his release.

He however, observed that many people may not have understood the peculiarity of his case, but proceeded to urge us to clarify that he has been effectively and validly discharged by the judgment of the Court of Appeal, delivered on the 13th day of October 2022, which said judgment also prohibited his further trial and detention. Therefore, there is no charge pending against Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu before any Court as of today.

“Furthermore, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unequivocally stated that begging the Federal Government to release him at this point is an insult to the memory of late Pa Mbazulike Amechi, who despite his age and ill health, repeatedly travelled from the South-East to Abuja, begging the Federal Government to honour his dying wish, which request was treated with greatest disdain by the Federal Government and was also not honoured.”

“Thus, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is of the firm view that he does not need to beg the FGN to release him. The Court of Appeal has already made a pronouncement in that regard and that pronouncement has remained sacrosanct to date.

“Therefore, the calls every person of goodwill should make in the circumstance of his continued illegal detention is for the Supreme Court to set down a date for the expeditious Hearing of the Appeal filed by the Federal Government, as provided for in the Criminal Appeals Practice Directions of the Supreme Court,” IPOB said.