Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has denied the bail application of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice Nyako held that the absence of the defendant (Nnamdi Kanu) in court after his bail was granted in 2017 must be discussed before another bail is granted and went ahead to deny the IPOB leader bail
In the coming days, the Federal Government is expected to re-arraign Mr. Kanu on an amended six-count treasonable felony charges.
In another development in the the Court premises, BBC Igbo correspondents were attacked by some unknown persons that accused the media outfit of peddling fake News
The court had, on April 8, exonerated the Federal Government on the allegation that the leader of the IPOB was forcefully abducted abroad to stand his trial.
Nyako, in a ruling, held that rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
Nyako said since Kanu was on a bench warrant, the law allowed that anywhere he is sighted, he can be arrested and be brought to face his trial.
“Rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
“In the instant case, there is a bench warrant on the defendant (Kanu). Suffice to say, he is a fugitive before the court,” she said.
The judge, who dismissed Kanu’s move to challenge the terrorism charge, upheld seven counts in the fresh charge filed by the federal government against the IPOB leader.
Nyako said that the federal government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had been able to established some allegations against Kanu in counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15.
“Counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15 show some allegations. The court shall proceed to try the defendant (Kanu) on those counts, ” she ruled.
After the review of the 15 counts, she held that about eight of the counts appeared to be similar and did not disclose action.
She, therefore, ordered that counts six, seven, nine, 10, 11, 12 13 and 14 should be struck out.
Nyako also ruled that the order proscribing IPOB as a terror group still subsisted until it was vacated since the issue was still on appeal.
She dismissed the argument of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, counsel for Kanu, that whether IPOB was a terrorist organisation under the Nigerian law or not was still a subject of an appeal.
More details shortly….
