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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected the offer made by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to stand surety for its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as bait for his release.
IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, who made this known in a statement, yesterday, observed that the stage at which anybody can stand surety has passed, as, according to him, “Kanu has been discharged and acquitted of every charge.”
Powerful pointed out that the governor should rather focus on the side of Federal Government to respect its own court and grant Kanu freedom.
The statement reads: “We welcome the call by Soludo for unconditional release of our leader, Kanu.
“But that is belated, and coming three months and one day after the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division, in its judgment delivered on October 13, 2022, discharged and acquitted Kanu of all remaining eight-count amended charges preferred against him.
“The court consequently directed for his unconditional release. It further prohibited Federal Government from further detaining him or even presenting him for trial on any indictment or offence whatsoever before any court in Nigeria.”
Powerful noted that Kanu no longer has “any form of indictment, and cannot be suretied; rather, Soludo should add his voice for Kanu’s unconditional release.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, backed Soludo and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, on the urgent need for Federal Government to unconditionally release Kanu.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, said constructive dialogue and not use of force by security agencies on separatists is vital for the conduct of peaceful polls in February and March.
The group also said it is insincere for President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to continue to hold Kanu in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) after the IPOB leader has been discharged and acquitted of terrorism charges by an appellate court.
HURIWA also charged Buhari to justify the “African Award for Strengthening Peace’’ he is about to receive in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital today.
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