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Tag: Nnamdi Kanu

  • Nnamdi Kanu: FG can protect witnesses – Court

    Nnamdi Kanu: FG can protect witnesses – Court

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday approved Federal Government’s request to protect the identities of prosecution witnesses in the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and three others.

    Ruling on the motion filed by Mr. Mohammed Labaran, counsel to government, Justice Binta Nyako held that the application was meritorious.

    “The prosecution witnesses who should appear in a combination of alphabets will be given screens, which will be provided by the court.

    “The defendants and their counsel will, however, be able to see the witnesses before they testify,’’ Justice Nyako held.

    The judge later adjourned the trial till January 10, 2017.

  • Biafra: Another judge refuses bail to Kanu, others

    Biafra: Another judge refuses bail to Kanu, others

    …Judge says Buhari”s comment can’t influence proceedings

    …Prosecution seeks to shield witnesses’ identity
    Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja Thursday refused to grant bail to leader of the group, Indigenous People of Biafra (lPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and three of his associates.

    Justice Nyako’s decision Thursday formed the third time a court will refuse Kanu and others bail since they were arrested last year.

    Justice John Tsoho (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja) refused a similar application for bail earlier this year. The Court of Appeal, Abuja later upheld Justice Tsoho’s decision, dismissed Kanu and others’ appeal and ordered them to submit themselves for trial.

    Rather than agree to trial before Justice Tsoho, Kanu and others accused the judge of bias and asked the judge to withdraw from the case, which Justice Tsoho did. The case was re-assigned to Justice Nyako, before who they were recently arraigned on an 11-count charge and their bail applications heard.

    Kanu, IPOB’s National Coordinator, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi are charged with terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods. The charge is marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.

    Ruling on their bail application yesterday, Justice Nyako said the offences for which they were being tried “are very serious in nature”, and therefore not ordinarily bailable. She added that irrespective of what the charge is, the court has to exercise its discretion on way or the other, but that some of the charges against the defendants could attract life imprisonment if proved by the prosecution.

    The judge dismissed the contention by the defendants that President Muhammadu Buhari had openly directed that they should not be released on bail.

    She said the President, as a Nigerian citizen, was at liberty to exercise his right to freedom of speech.

    The judge said the President’s comment was incapable of influencing the decision of the court. She said the defendants did not place any new fact or law capable of persuading the court to reverse an earlier ruling (by Justice Tsoho) in which they were equally denied bail.

    Justice Nyako noted “The offences are serious in nature and carries very severe punishment if proven. I hereby therefore refuse bail of the applicants.”

    Thr judge later ordered accelerated hearing in the case.

    Shortly after the ruling, prosecution lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran argued his application seeking the court’s permission for the protection of the identity of his witnesses.

    He urged the court to allow the prosecution witnesses testify behind a shield to be supplied by the court.

    Labaran also sought an order preventing the disclosure of the name and other details of the witnesses in the open court for security reasons.

    .The defendants opposed the application, contending that granting such request would amount to a gross violation of their rights to fair hearing.

    Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor argued “We vehemently oppose secret trial of the defendants. They were accused in the open; we also request that they be tried in the open. The defendants need to see those testifying against them eye-ball-to-eye-ball. We are ready for this trial”,
    another defence lawyer, Maxwell Okpara, told the court that most of the proposed witnesses were foreigners allegedly imported by the government from neighbouring countries.

    “My lord, we have uncovered their plan to bring Ghanaians and people from Cameroon to appear in this court to testify against the defendants.

    “We as Nigerians will resist that plot. It cannot work. That is why they are insisting that they should testify behind screen. That plot has failed, it will not work”, Okpara said.

    Justice Nyako has adjourned to December 13 for ruling.

  • MASSOB resorts to prayers as Kanu appears in court Dec 1

    MASSOB resorts to prayers as Kanu appears in court Dec 1

    Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) said its members would engage in charismatic prayer meeting at its headquarters, Okwe on Thursday December 1 as Nnamdi Kanu appears in court.

    MASSOB in a statement signed by its leader, Uchenna Madu urged “the people of Biafra all over the world to join them in praying, fasting and supplication for our brothers and Biafran heroes.”

    It maintained that just as it demands for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and others, “we shall maintain our non-violence position in our quest,”

    It called on the people of Biafra to intensify their efforts for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and others in Nigerian prisons.

    “We wish to inform our people that pro Biafra agitating groups including MASSOB, IPOB and others remained the political masquerade and pride of Ndigbo in Nigeria.

    “Succesive administrations of Nigerian government are afraid of Ndigbo in the present Nigeria state because of the activities and existence of MASSOB with the recent tempo of IPOB,” the statement posited.

    Expressing disappointment on Igbo leaders, MASSOB said:  “Until Igbo leaders understand the efficacies, potencies and political values of MASSOB, IPOB and others, they will never progress politically in Nigeria. Today, major Igbo leaders have abandoned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Nwawuisi and Madubugwu of IPOB, Innocent Orji, Sabastine Amadi, Uchenna Nicholas and 17 others of MASSOB and Benjamin Onwuka and 12 others of BZM because they thought that these men pose threat to their political adventures in Nigeria or economic interest.

    “Every revolutionary struggle has symbol of leadership and motivation in its stages, though the individual personalities may not be perfect. Some years back, Uwazuruike was in this position until he derailed, today it is Nnamdi Kanu. Ndigbo shall not abandon their own son because of individual personal interest.”

     

  • Biafra: Court to decide Kanu, others’ bail, Dec 1

    Biafra: Court to decide Kanu, others’ bail, Dec 1

    Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja has scheduled ruling for December 1 in the bail applications by leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and three others.

    Others are Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

    They were re-arraigned on November 8 before Justice Nyako on an 11-count amended charge. Justice Nyako is the third judge before who they are being arraigned, the other two having withdrawn following allegations by Kanu that they were bias.

    They are charged with treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods.

    Onwudiwe is charged alone, in one of the counts, with terrorism.

    Their alleged offences are in relation to the defendants’ alleged broadcasts on Radio Biafra and agitation for the creation of Biafra Republic from states in the South-East and South-South zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue states.

    Thursday, defence lawyers, including Ifeanyi Ejiofor (for Kanu); I. Adoga (for Onwudiwe);  E. I Efeme (for Madubugwu) and Maxwell Okpara (for Nwaiwusi) argued their separate bail applications.

    They urged the court to dismiss the counter-affidavit filed in opposition to their clients’ applications.

    The defence lawyers argued that the prosecution’s claim, to the effect that the defendants will constitute a threat to national security if released on bail pending trial, was unsustainable.

    Efeme argued: “The prosecution has the duties to give the particulars of how the defendants would constitute national security. These documents (provided by the prosecution) do not show such.

    “It is the duty of the prosecution to show how the third defendant and the rest of the defendants should not enjoy bail, and we are saying they have not,” he said.

    Adoge complained that his client, Onwudiwe was yet to be transferred to prison from the custody of the Department of State Service, despite the court’s order to that effect.

    He argued that the charge against his client was a mere “smokescreen”.

    “The Supreme Court has said when the charge is found to be a smokescreen, the court is bound to grant bail to the defendant,” he said.

    Okpara contended that the counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution in opposition to his client’s bail application was “fundamentally defective” and should be struck out.

    He urged the court to grant bail to his client on basis of the alleged defects in the bail application, a situation which he said implied that the application was not opposed.

    He also argued that contrary to the contention of the prosecution, the defendants would only constitute national security threat if they continued on remand, but that “there will be peace if they are released”.

    On his part, lead prosecution lawyer, Magaji Labaran argued his counter-affidavits and urged the court to dismiss the bail applications and order accelerated hearing in the case.

    He cautioned the court against granting bail to the defendants, particularly Onwudiwe, who is charged with terrorism.

    Labaran informed the court about an application he filed seeking protection for prosecution’s witnesses.

    Lawyers to the defendants confirmed being served with the applicant, but sought time to enable them respond.

    Justice Nyako consiquently adjourned to December 1 for ruling.

  • Kanu, three others re-arraigned on amended charges

    Kanu, three others re-arraigned on amended charges

    The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja, re-arraigned Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOD) on an amended 11-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony and publication of defamatory matter.

    Kanu, along with Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, were re-arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja and they pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.

    Nyako fixed Nov. 17 to hear the bail applications filed by counsel to all the defendants.

    Nwawuisi, who is the 4the defendant, was added in the amended 11-count charge, as he had not been previously charged with the other three in the earlier six-count charge.

    In the amended charge, in count one, all four defendants were accused of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act.

    In count three, they allegedly managed an unlawful society, while count eight borders on possession of unlawful firearms and count 11 hinges on acts of terrorism.

    They allegedly committed the offences in Nigeria and London between 2014 and 2015.

    Counsel to the defendants, Chief Chucks Muoma (SAN), Mr Inalegwu Adoga, Mr E.I Esene and Mr Maxwel Okpara, complained to the judge that the prosecution was bent on frustrating the case by employing unnecessary delay tactics.

    But Nyako said that since the case was before her for the first time, she was not interested in what had happened in the past.

    “The case is coming before me for the first time so let us start on a clean slate, forget what happened previously,” Nyako said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Nyako would be the third judge handling the case against the IPOB leader.

    The first judge that handled Kanu’s matter was Magistrate Shuiabu Usman of Wuse Zone 2, Magistrates’ Court, Abuja.

    Usman squashed all the charges against Kanu after the Prosecutor, the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.

    The case was later filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja, where it was assigned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola.

    Kanu, however, during one of sittings told the court that he was no longer confident in the court saying he got information that he would not receive a fair hearing.

    The case file was then returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta who reassigned it to Justice John Tsoho.

    However, following an alleged conflicting ruling giving on the issue of secret trial in favour of the DSS, Kanu in a petition asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate Tsoho.

    He also filed an application asking the judge to disqualify himself from the matter.

    Tsoho then hands off the matter on Sept. 26 and sent the case file to Auta, who reassigned it to Nyako. 

  • Justice Ademola withdraws from Dasuki’s trial

    Justice Ademola withdraws from Dasuki’s trial

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola, the judge in the case against the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has withdrawn from the cases.

    Ademola, one of the seven judges arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on allegations of corruption, claimed that he was being harassed and intimidated by the service.

    He cited allegations of corruption by DSS against him, which is prosecuting Dasuki’s case, as the reason for his action.

    The judge claimed that he was being harassed and intimidated for granting bail to Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra.

  • Biafra: Another judge withdraws from Kanu’s trial

    Biafra: Another judge withdraws from Kanu’s trial

    Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja withdrew from the trial of pro-Biafra agitator, Nnamdi Kanu Monday.

    He announced his decision to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta for the case to be reassigned to another judge.

    Kanu and two of his associates – Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi were arraigned before the court earlier this year on a six-count charge of treasonable felony filed for the Federal Government by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

    The case was assigned to Justice Tsoho after another judge of the court, Justice Ahmed Mohammed withdrew from it upon allegation by Kanu that the judge (Justice Mohammed) was incapable of ensure justice in his case.

    Trial was expected to open in the case Monday after the Court of Appeal, Abuja rejected Kanu’s appeal against an earlier ruling by Justice Tsoho allowing an arrangement for the protection of prosecution’s witnesses.

    Monday, Kanu’s lawyer, Chuks Muoma (SAN) drew the court’s attention his application for the judge to withdraw from the case, alleging that he was biased in the way he was handling the case.

    Muoma said his client has also petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the issue. He contended that the best option was for the judge to suspend proceedings in the case pending the NJC’s decision on his client’s petition.

    The defence lawyer told the court that the NJC has acknowledged receipt of the petition and has commenced investigation.

    “We are only asking the court to hands off the case. My client has lost confidence in this court. Following the development, all we are asking this court to do is to hands off this case pending the outcome of the NJC Investigation.

    “It would not be proper for the court to continue with this matter when investigation is ongoing. So, in the interest of justice, we are asking the court to hands off the case. I would urge the court to transfer the matter. I will suggest that it be sent back to the CJ.”

    The lawyer accused the judge of acting in line with the suggestion of President Muhammadu Buhari that Kanu was not going to be released under any circumstance.

    Ruling, Justice Tsoho said he has no personal interest in the case. He elected to return the case file to the court’s Chief Judge.

    The judge frowned at the attitude of the defence lawyer. He noted that Muoma he acted un-professionally through his utterances. He said it was not bothered by the defence’s decision.

    The judge said since the defence has expressed lack of confidence in the way the court has handled the case, “it is only reasonable for the court to disqualify itself from further hearing the matter.

    “Accordingly, this case is hereby forwarded to the Chief Judge for further re-assignment”, Justice Tsoho said.

  • Police commissioner warns IPOB on proposed rally

    Imo State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, on Wednesday warned members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against breaching public peace.

    Lakanu gave the warning in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the IPOB “sit at home protest” slated for Friday.

    The group planned to protest the continued detention of its Leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, on that day.

    The commissioner said the police would resist any attempt by the group to breach public peace or carry out activities contrary to the law.

    He said the group has no right to forcefully order members of the public to sit at home or switch off their phones.

    “We will arrest and prosecute any IPOB member if any of their actions leads to breach of security and public peace.

    “Agitators must find a legal ways of making their grievances known to the authorities and not to create panic in the society.

    “Police is in charge of any situation in the state, and we are ever ready to ensure a violence-free state,’’ he said.

    The commissioner urged members of the public not to entertain any fear over the planned protest, but to go about their lawful businesses.

  • MASSOB/IPOB alleges plans to kill Kanu

    MASSOB/IPOB alleges plans to kill Kanu

    Members of two pro-Biafra groups; Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (‎MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has raised alarm over the safety of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu at the Medium Prison, Abuja

    The State Coordinator of MASSOB in Abia State, Comrade Anayochukwu Okpara in a telephone interview on Tuesday told our correspondent in Aba the incident at the Kuje ‎Medium Prison was sponsored and alleged that it was a calculated attempt to eliminated Kanu by the powers that be in the country.

    Okpara warned that should anything happen to Kanu, MASSOB, IPOB and other pro-Biafra groups would be forced to abandon their peaceful disposition over the struggle for the emancipation of the Sovereign state of Biafra.

    He used the opportunity to condemn the persistent attacks and killings of “Biafrans” across the “Biafra territories”.

    According to him, “we condemn the invasion of our farm lands, the raping of our sisters and mothers, the killing of our innocent brothers and destruction of property by the so-called Fulani herd’s men. The recent attacks and killing of people in Enugu community is babaric and should be totally condemned.

    “We are giving the Hausa/Fulani herds men seven days to leave Biafra land because they have bitten more than they can chew and we cannot fold our arms and see this happen again”.

    Another member of IPOB who gave his name as Chukwuma corroborating ‎Okpara’s position lamented the long incarceration and slow pace of Kanu’s trial, stressing that it was an attempt to discourage Kanu followers.

    Chukwuma while urging members of IPOB to remain calm also expressed confidence that Kanu and other Biafta agitators would not be cowed into the plans of the federal government of Nigeria to quench the struggle of liberating the people of old Eastern Region from the hands of “bad leadership”.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ohaneze group renounces IPOB insists on national unity

    Ohaneze group renounces IPOB insists on national unity

    The youth wing of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, a socio-cultural group on Monday renounced those calling for secession and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The student group said Nigeria’s peace and unity was non-negotiable, thus it is strongly behind unity of the country.

    President of the group, Comrade Anya Anya, during a briefing in Abuja, in solidary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign said the president has been working so hard to restore the country’s dignity and territorial integrity.

    He added that the president’s commitment to national unity was in alignment with the vision of the nationalists.

    Asked if the group was in support of the secession agitation of the IPOB President, Nnamdi Kanu, he said: “We believe in one Nigeria and a united Nigeria with sincerity of purposes.”

    However, he added that, “If Nnamdi Kanu as at today is facing issues as regards to Biafra or no Biafra, I want to sincerely tell you that some of his demands maybe something that Nigerians will also need to take care of because there are issues rising politically, or based on dividends of democracy that should be attended to as demanded by the people of south east.

    Speaking on the alleged arms scandal against the interior minister, Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau, the group said the deliberate plan to destroy the image of the former military chief should be condemned.

    He said it is expected to conduct intensive preliminary investigations on such allegation, supported by genuine evidence rather than publicly engaging in hatchet jobs against Dambazzau’s personality.

    “We wish to remind all and sundry that General Dambazzau was a chief of army staff and not Minister of Defence nor national security adviser to any administration. Therefore, enemies of progress should stop roping him into any corruption charge.

    “Ohaneze Ndigbo students shall vehemently oppose any attempt to tarnish the hard earned image and integrity of this noble General who all his life is serving Nigeria as a first class security person…”