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Mike Ozekome, the chief counsel to the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding the immediate release of his client.
In the letter dated October 3, Ozekhome premised his petition on the need to seek a political solution to the embattled IPOB leader.
Kanu was re-arrested on June 25, 2021, and brought back to Nigeria from Kenya to face his trial. Kanu and his co-defendant are facing treasonable felony charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja. He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services for 15 months.
But the letter, which has in copy Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice, Ozekhome asked the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation to facilitate the release.
The directive, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) argued, is necessary to restore normal businesses that have been paralysed in the South-East as a result of the sit-at-home order declared by the secessionist group.
“The petition is to humbly urge you to order the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu through a more productive political solution,” the letter partly read.
“You can do this by instructing the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to wiled his powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to enter a nolle prosequi.
“This will immediately halt the present restlessness and sits-at-home mantra currently ravaging the South East and paralysing business and normal life.
“Thank you, sir, as you attend to this lengthy petition promptly and right the current wrongs against Nnamdi Kanu by ordering his immediate and unconditional release.”
Meanwhile, Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court Umuahia, Abia State has reserved October 27 for ruling on Kanu’s 8-point application over the alleged Federal Government’s attack on his country home and extraordinary rendition from Kenya.
Justice Anyadike on Tuesday announced the new date for the ruling owing to the submission of counter-affidavits brought before her by Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, who is seeking justice for the extraordinary rendition and abuse; violation of human rights of Article 12 (4) of the Africa Union.
