The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has rejected the promise of the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to stand as surety for its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to be released.
IPOB said the stage where its leader needed surety for any bail has passed, and that at this point, Kanu has been discharged and acquitted of every charge.
It said the call should rather be for the federal government to respect its own court and grant the detained separatist freedom.
The media and publicity secretary of the group, Mr Emma Powerful in a press release made available to journalists said: “We welcome the call by the Governor of Anambra State-Governor Charles Soludo for the unconditional release of our leader MAzi NNAMDI Kanu.
“But the said call for the unconditional release of our leader is belated, and coming three months and one day after the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division, in its erudite judgement delivered on the 13th day of October 2022, discharged and acquitted the leader of IPOB and all the remaining 8-Count amended charge preferred against him.
“The court consequently directed for his unconditional release in the landmark judgement. It further prohibited the Federal Government of Nigeria from further detaining our leader or even presenting him for trial on any indictment or offence whatsoever before any court in Nigeria.”
The group said Kanu no longer had any form of indictment, and cannot be said to be suretied, rather Soludo should add his voice for the unconditional release of its leader.
“It is important, therefore, to clarify that our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu 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.
“It is to be emphasized further that Onyendu, who was discharged on the 13th Day of October 2022, by the Court of Appeal does not have any need for surety because there is no charge hanging on his neck today.
“We have gone beyond the issue of surety or no surety, every genuine call/demand in the prevailing circumstance should be firmly directed at calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately obey the order for the unconditional release of ‘Onyendu’ made by its own court.
“May we also remind Governor Soludo and others that Onyendu’s current incarceration is not sanctioned by any law known to man, it is unconstitutional and affront to constitutional democracy and rule of law.”
The group said Soludo’s kind of plea is the reason 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 Onyendu. It’s compelling and mandatory on their part to obey their own court orders,” IPOB said.
