The Federal Government has replied to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s application seeking to withdraw equally 1 of the sureties for the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, describing the application equally belated.
The government, inward its counter-affidavit too written address filed earlier the Federal High Court inward Abuja to oppose Abaribe’s request, told Abaribe that Kanu was inward his custody too he had to create him for the continuation of his trial.
It stated inward its counter-affidavit that Abaribe was aware that Kanu “has long violated the bail weather condition handed downwards past times this honourable court” on Apr 24, 2017 earlier September xi when he claimed to accept lost contact amongst the defendant.
The counter-affidavit read inward part, “That it was at this indicate at violating the weather condition at the bail that the senator surety ought to give upward the 1st accused too or convey upward this application; “That this application is belated too ill-timed;
“The applicant failed to apply to the courtroom timeously, stating on oath that the accused jump past times recognizance to look earlier this courtroom had violated the bail status given past times this court.”
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, argued inward the written address that Abaribe “failed woefully” past times allegedly aiding too abetting Kanu to flout his bail conditions.
The written address stated, “My lord, the surety has failed woefully to abide past times the price of the contract he entered into amongst this courtroom too thence cannot claim frustration.
“My lord, nosotros urge that the courtroom hold, that surety having refused to compass what he ought to accept done pursuant to department 174 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 aided too abetted the 1st accused inward the flouting of the bail weather condition of this courtroom too should forfeit the bond he entered into.”
Denying that Kanu was non inward the custody of the Nigerian Army, the Federal Government stated inward its counter-affidavit that the accused remained inward Abaribe’s custody.
“That the armed forces activities inward Abia State tagged ‘Operation Python Dance II’ was a routine practice inward its instant twelvemonth carried out past times the armed forces at the halt of every year.
“That the 1st accused is non inward the custody of the Nigerian armed forces or whatever other safety way inward that regard.
“That the 1st accused is inward custody of the applicant (Abaribe).”
Kanu was absent from courtroom when his representative came upward on Oct 17, 2017, but his co-defendants amongst whom he was existence prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony were produced inward courtroom past times prison theatre officials.
Abaribe’s lawyer, Ogechi Ogunna, informed the courtroom of the displace past times his customer seeking to withdraw equally Kanu’s surety but the approximate said she would non remove heed it until the senator kickoff produced the missing defendant.
She gave Abaribe too the 2 other sureties upward till Nov twenty to create the accused inward court.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra on Dominicus insisted that the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari knew the whereabouts of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
It asked the authorities to create Kanu without farther delay inward fellowship non to provoke the grouping to become into armed conflict amongst the government.
In a tilt made available to our correspondent inward Awka, Anambra State past times the group’s Media too Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB accused Buhari too some leaders inward the South-East geopolitical zone of conspiracy of quiet on the issue.
The tilt read, “We are asking Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Nnia Nwodo too South-East governors to create Nnamdi Kanu because they or their representatives all participated inward countless meetings inward Abuja too Enugu where the modus operandi of the genocidal Operation Python Dance II was agreed too ratified.
“It was equally a straight effect of armed forces invasion of the dwelling of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu too massacre of 28 innocent unarmed civilians amongst many missing that has led us to 1 time over again politely enquire that our leader move presented to us dead or alive.
“It is becoming clear to everybody that Muhammadu Buhari, Nnia Nwodo too South East governors are desperately trying to depict IPOB into armed confrontation too militancy to justify their genocidal clampdown on innocent people of the South-East too South-South.”
PUNCH