Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu takes another shot at getting bail

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a fresh application for bail.

He filed the application before Justice Binta Nyako of an Abuja Federal High Court, after he was re-arraigned on an 11-count charge.

The charges against Mr. Kanu border on treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and terrorism and other offences arising from the agitation by the group for the secession of Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.

The counsel to the IPOB leader, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, urged the court to admit Mr. Kanu to bail on liberal terms.

He supported the application with a 26-paragraph affidavit and 35 exhibits.

The exhibits include the charge filed against Mr. Kanu at the magistrate court, the ruling of the court granting him bail, the ruling of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering his unconditional release, and a newspaper publication of a statement allegedly made by President Muhammadu Buhari that the defendant would not be granted bail by any court.

The counsel further informed the court that Mr. Kanu had initiated contempt proceedings against the State Security Services (SSS) before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, for refusing to obey an order of the court made last year, granting him bail.

Mr. Kanu was re-arraigned on Thursday alongside three others whose counsel also urged the court to grant bail on very liberal terms.

The prosecution counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, however objected to the applications.

Instead, he sought an order for accelerated hearing of the substantive matter, on the grounds that the defendants are threat to national security.

Mr. Labaran said the firearm licence, which one of the defendants claimed he had, was not issued by the appropriate authority.

He also drew the court’s attention to the application filed by the prosecution for witness protection, which he said had been served on all the parties in the matter.

Justice Nyako adjourned ruling on the bail applications to December 1.

In the new amended charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mohammed Umar, the Federal Government added five fresh counts to the earlier six.

A new defendant, David Nwawusi, was also joined, alongside Onwudiwe Chidiebere and Benjamin Madubugwu who had earlier been charged with Mr. Kanu.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.