Barely 24 hours after the sit-at-home campaign that crippled business activities in the South East, a group, on Wednesday, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to revoke the bail it granted to leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
The group which is under the aegis of South East Peoples Assembly, SEPA, in a letter dated May 31 and signed by its President, Prince Chukwuemeka Okorie, urged the Chief Judge of the high court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, to as a matter of urgency, revoke Kanu’s bail.
SEPA maintained that the IPOB leader has continued to conduct himself in a manner that is totally at variance with terms and conditions of his bail, among which included that he must not hold rallies, grant interviews or be in a crowd of more than 10 people.
It said: “Obviously, the recklessness with which he made media statements and even organised the ‘Sit at Home and Stay Indoor’ protest to mark the so called BIAFRA HEROS DAY on Tuesday, 30th May, 2017 is a threat to the unity, security and peace of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.
“We have no iota of doubt that he is trying to push our dear country Nigeria into an unnecessary precarious situation for his personal agenda and those of his paymasters.
“Sir, our decision to write this demand letter to your good office at this time is to forestall another civil unrest in Nigeria, particularly around the Igbo speaking region.
“As you well know, the struggle by Kanu to be relevant under the guise of actualisation of Biafra does not enjoy the support of right thinking Igbo people both at home and in diaspora.
“That he suddenly addresses himself as the Supreme Leader of Biafra points to how arrogant and disrespectful he is to legitimately constituted authority in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The pertinent question on our minds as stakeholders is: Has Kanu been consistent in providing the court with reports on the progress of his health and treatment on a monthly basis since he was granted bail? We fear that if Kanu is not tamed by Your Lordship as a matter of urgency, the IPOB may create a situation where it becomes difficult if not impossible for genuine development to take place in the South East under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
“History has taught us that the Civil War of 1967-1970 started gradually and later turned out to be something that caused our people unimaginable losses.
“We cannot afford to fold our arms this time and allow a stooge imported from the United Kingdom by stark enemies of Nigeria to maintain a state of belligerence against the nation and keep the name of Igbo people in the news for the wrong reasons.
“At the SEPA, our very mission is that we believe in the truth and can on the strength of this declare that the temporary freedom being enjoyed by Kanu has been abused. Therefore, we join the other patriotic Nigerians in urging Your Lordship to consider adopting the appropriate procedure to ensure that Kanu’s bail is revoked within the next 7 (Seven) working days.
“It may interest you to know that the whole world is watching how you have been faring to reposition the Federal High Court on the path of excellence and restore her lost glory”, the letter read.
It will be recalled trial Justice Binta Nyako had on April 25, granted Kanu bail after he spent about a year and six months in detention.
Justice Nyako said her decision to release Kanu on bail was based on health grounds.
She cited an affidavit that was attached to the bail application Kanu filed through his lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Specifically, the court held that Kanu must produce three sureties, including a “highly respected and recognised jewish leader”.
According to the court, aside a jewish leader, Kanu must also produce a “highly placed person of Igbo extraction”, as well as “a highly respected person who is resident and owns landed property in Abuja”.
Each of the sureties, among whom was Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, deposited N100million each.
The other sureties were a Jewish High Chief Priest, Immanuu-El Shalom and a Chartered Accountant residing in Abuja, Mr. Tochukwu Uchendu.
Justice Nyako had equally held that Kanu who was arrested by security operatives upon his arrival to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, must sign an undertaken to make himself available for trial at all times.
Kanu was ordered to surrender his Nigerian and British international passports, even as the court compelled FG to return to him, his wedding ring and reading glasses.
However, Kanu’s co-defendants, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, were denied bail by the court which described charges against them as “very serious”.
