The Federal Government has lost the bid to stop the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) Court from entertaining the case filed by the
Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on the violation of
his fundamental human rights.
In a ruling on the preliminary objection filed by the Federal Government
to Kanu’s prayers, Justice Micha Wright of the ECOWAS Court held that the
action was “lame and frivolous” and cannot enjoy any form of support from the
Bench.
On behalf of Kanu, IPOB had filed a fundamental right enforcement suit
against the government at the sub-regional court, praying for an order of the
court directing the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to comply with
two court orders on the release of Kanu and payment of $800 million as damages.
Kanu has been in detention since October 2015 and several courts have
ordered his release, but he is still held at the Kuje Medium Prison in Abuja by
the Federal Government.
Before the ECOWAS Court, the government filed a preliminary objection
challenging the competence and merit of the suit. It argued that Kanu lacks the
competence to bring the matter before the court because the subject of the suit
is still pending in the domestic courts.
The government therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit for lacking
merit.
But the court, instead, dismissed the application for lacking in merit
and ordered that the matter be placed for definite hearing.
The case was thereafter adjourned till April 27, 2017 for the hearing of
the substantive suit for the enforcement of Kanu’s fundamental right. The
court directed all the parties to refrain from any form of excuses or delay
tactics.
Joined in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister
of Justice and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Kanu was arrested on October 18, 2015 and subsequently detained by the DSS
in Abuja.
IPOB warns S/East, S/South govs against sabotaging his release
Meanwhile, IPOB has warned governors and politicians in the South East and
South-South geopolitical zones against sabotaging the renewed efforts to secure
the release of Kanu.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday by IPOB Media and Publicity Officer,
Emma Powerful, the group also appealed to the governors and politicians not to
work against the struggle for the Biafra Republic.
IPOB, in the statement titled: “The Last Warning to Politicians in the
Land”, threatened that anybody who connived with the “enemies to frustrate the
agitation for Biafra would regret such actions one day.”
Powerful said: “IPOB and its leadership worldwide have decided to issue a
last warning to South East and South-South politicians, some traditional rulers
and unscrupulous elements among us, who took it upon themselves to sabotage the
efforts by IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to restore Biafra.
“It has become absolutely necessary to warn political actors of varied
shades and characters such as traditional rulers and politicians, who have
been identified as enemies of progress, to desist forthwith from sabotaging
our people’s freedom which is around the corner.
“We note the frenzy of activities presently ongoing as almost everybody
is keying into the correct line of identifying with the truth by calling for
the immediate release of our leader and the prophet of our time Mazi Nnamdi
Kanu and others detained illegally in all the prisons and security cells
across the country”.
Some South East and South-South leaders, led by former Central Bank of
Nigerian (CBN) Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and Prof. Pat Utomi, recently
visited Kanu in prison and promised to work for his release from detention.
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