• Four senior lawyers join Kanu’s legal team as trial resumes
A faction of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, begged President Bola Tinubu to accept the peace move by anti-violent Pro-Biafra agitators, saying that it is important to weigh the merits of initiating peaceful dialogue with violent agitators.
In a statement in Abakaliki, the Deputy National President of the Ohanaeze faction, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, noted that the President should accept the peace move following the vindication of Igbo from the 1966 coup by former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, in his book, ‘A Journey in Service.’
He acknowledged the courageous decision of the non-violent pro-Biafra agitators to extend a hand of peace towards the Federal Government after 12 years of relentless diplomatic pressure from the international community and numerous United Nations-affiliated peace groups.
The group added that the acceptance by the nonviolent pro-Biafra agitators to offer a hand of friendship to the Federal Government is not only miraculous but a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s historical timeline.
He previewed that the forthcoming dialogue is anticipated to mirror the earlier discussions held at Aburi, Ghana, now reborn as the Abuja Accord, noting that this initiative aims explicitly to address and resolve the long-standing grievances that have birthed the Biafra agitation since the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970.
The statement added: “Ohanaeze also acknowledges that Tinubu has shown initial commitment to rejuvenate the South-East’s road infrastructure devastated during the Biafran conflict and the proposed Abuja dialogue, representing an opportunity for the President to gain firsthand insights into the genuine concerns behind the Biafra agitation.”
MEANWHILE, four more eminent Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have joined the legal team of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ahead of his resumed trial.
Kanu’s trial resumed before Justice James Omotosho-led Federal High Court in Abuja on April 29. The senior lawyers include Prof. Onyechi Ikpeazu, Emeka Etiaba, Mela Audu Nunghe, and Joseph Akubo.
Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, disclosed this in a notice informing the court about the lawyers, families, and friends who would be attending Kanu’s trial.
During the last court outing, Justice Omotosho approved an accelerated hearing on the seven-count terrorism charge against Kanu.The accelerated hearing was in consideration of the fact that the case had been ongoing for 10 years.
