Featured, Politics, Politics
THE controversial trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, did not hold today because the Department of State Service, DSS, failed to produce him in court. Also, the trial, which was expected to begin at the Federal High Court, Abuja, crippled activities in the South East as major markets in Awka, Onitsha and Aba, and elsewhere in Igboland were all closed down by traders in solidarity with Kanu. Some of his fan were chased away by security agents while others, including Omowole Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters were arrested by the police.
During the sitting on the case on Monday, July 26, at the Federal High Court, Justice Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, ruled that nothing could be done in the case in the absence of the IPOB leader. Prior to this, Mohammed Abubakar, lead prosecuting lawyer, had explained that Kanu was not in court due to logistic reasons. This prompted the judge to order the DSS to allow Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to Kanu, access to his client.
The judge said she will work with lawyers to the prosecution and defense and head of the security team to work out a plan to allow Ejiofor access to his client after he complained that he has not seen Kanu for eight days.
According to Ejiofor, he was informed on Sunday, July 25, that Kanu was moved from where he was being kept in DSS custody.
The case was adjourned to October 21, although Nyako said, it could be heard earlier if prosecution was able to obtain a fiat from the chief judge of the court to allow proceedings during the ongoing vacation of the court.
Before the case began, lawyers and journalists were initially prevented from having access to the court room leading to altercation between security agents and IPOB leader’s lawyers. One of the lawyers was caught on video which Realnews sighted complaining that he came all the from Aba and was prevented from entering the court.
Realnews reports that commuters moving in and out of Onitsha, Anambra State, were stranded on Monday, July 26, following partial restrictions of vehicular movement within major roads in the commercial city.
According to The Nation, commercial buses plying Awka-Onitsha route had suspended operations over fear of being trapped in the looming crisis, particularly as videos of bonfires at the popular Upper Iweka and other strategic areas of the town went viral in the social media.
A few daring drivers took advantage of scarcity of vehicles to exploit passengers charging between N500 and N600 instead of the usual N300 from Awka to Onitsha.
Parks visited around 8am witnessed commuters waiting hopelessly for scarce buses while those who insisted on traveling paid through their noses. Shops, markets and offices were under lock and key while some major streets are deserted in the commercial town.
A civil servant residing in Amawbia, Awka, told Realnews that she did not go to work because people were warned to stay at home that there will be no vehicle to ferry people to the office. According to her, the information for people not to come out began to spread after Mass/Church Service on Sunday and was escalated on different WhatsApp platforms.
“I didn’t even go out at all. I just stayed at home. There is no need to risk my life,” the civil servant said.
Realnews also sighted a video shot in Nnewi, one of the major commercial city in Anambra State, where alleged supporters of Kanu blocked major streets and made bonfires. One vehicle was damaged in the video for violating restriction order on movement in the city today.
However, some Nigerians have been reacting differently to the trial of Kanu. Some wondered why his trial should cause the markets to close while some favoured the closure. Others are even asking the trial judge to resign.
Deji Adeyanju, civil rights activist, in a post on social media, said: “I’m of the view that Justice Nyako is not neutral enough to adjudicate on the Nnamdi Kanu case because her husband is a prominent Fulani leader in West Africa and has hosted African Fulani groups in Adamawa severally.
“Kanu has consistently insulted & abused Fulanis. I, therefore, think Justice Nyako should recuse herself from the Kanu’s case honourably. Let me quote the Supreme Court in FRN v. MKO Abiola (1995): Justice must be rooted in confidence & confidence is destroyed when right-minded people go away thinking: The Judge is biased.”
On his part, Tunde Bakare, serving overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, formerly called the Latter Rain Assembly Lagos, on Sunday, July 24, berated the federal government for clamping down Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, Yoruba Nation agitator.
Rather than work towards justice, he accused the federal government of using intimidation and brutality.
Bakare’s position is supported by the brutality meted out by security agents who arrested Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, while protesting in solidarity with Kanu with others.
He was picked while running a Facebook Live session at the court premises but was released after a few hours along with other protesters after they were “dragged, harassed and beaten”, he said.
“They took us to the Federal Secretariat Police Station. I told them that they have no right to arrest me. I have a right to observe the trial of Nnamdi Kanu. They took our cards and deleted all recordings,” Sowore said.
Consequently, the Coalition of Civil Society has condemned the arrest of Sowore and other supporters of the detained IPOB leader.
“We condemn this attack as part of the continuous descent of the country into a brutish state of military repression. It is completely unacceptable and we enjoin all Nigerians interested in preserving this country’s hard-earned democracy to condemn this attack on the press, on activists and lawyers today at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“Today’s protest, as a legitimate action, has been heavily repressed by policemen and the DSS that pick protesters into a fleet of waiting “police vans. This is another example, in a hundred, of the contempt the regime of Major General Buhari (Rtd.) has for the Constitution or the Rule of Law.
“We demand a public apology from the Nigeria police and DSS for this ridiculous and unprofessional action taken against Omoyele Sowore, other journalists and IPOB activists and we ask that proper disciplinary measures be taken on those security officers involved.
“It’s important for you to note that demonstrations and protests are a global phenomenon and are a part of the development of any society,” the coalition said.
After his release, Sowore was seen around the court premises with other youths.
With what happened today in court, Nigerians are bound to watch more drama as the trial continues in October.
-July 26, 2021 @ 17:09 GMT |
A.I
Tags: Ambassador George Obiozor Chukwuemeka Ezeife Controversial trial of Kanu grounds South East DSS fails to produce him in court Goddy Uwazuruike Justice Binta Nyako Nnamdi Kanu
