The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is optimistic of victory as he appears before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja next week, his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has said.
Ejiofor said this in a statement he issued on Friday after his routine visit to Kanu at the headquarters of the Department of State Services.
He said, “In the course of the visit, our discussions focused primarily on our final preparations for the legal battle that will resume at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, from next week and on subsequent adjourned dates, if any.
“We shared the product of our individual reflections on the most potent legal strategies henceforth to be adopted, fine tuned and harmonised them, and then distilled them into a single, conclusive, potent and workable formula. We are optimistic that the court outings of Onyendu will be impressive. Onyendu himself is in high spirits.
“Our discussions with him further reassured him and strengthened his determination to persevere unrelentingly. I declare to you, Umuchineke, that Onyendu is fully prepared to appear in court as on January 18, 2022. He is rooting for victory and knows that with the help of Chukwuokike Abiama, victory is assured.
“You will all behold with your eyes an interesting dimension in the harmonised workable formula we have evolved. The detractors of Onyendu will be comprehensively humbled and permanently put to shame.
“Further, Onyendu utilised the opportunity afforded by our visit to mandate us to admonish his teeming supporters and followers.
“He advises those of them that will appear in court in demonstration of their unflinching support and loyalty to him to conduct themselves with decorum, be civil in their conduct and comportment, shun violence and deviant behaviour in any manner or form, and exercise restraint in speech.
“On our part, we have caused formal correspondences to issue on responsible, sovereign, democratic governments and other international institutions to prevail on the Nigerian government to caution uncouth and overzealous security agents.
“We can authoritatively declare to you, Umuchineke, that those correspondences are receiving the requisite attention they deserve. We are optimistic that there will be a positive transformation in the conduct and general approach of the said overzealous security agents at the next appearance of Onyendu in court.”
He added, “We make bold to state for the umpteenth time that Onyendu has not committed any offence known to law. For this reason, he must be released unconditionally.
“We specially appeal to you, Umuchineke, to demonstrate profound understanding and fortitude in these trying times. You must remain focused, dogged, and resilient. On no account must your untiring spirit be shaken and your resolve diluted.
“You must keep the peace at all times and comport yourselves with decorum. In the not too distant time, you will surely savor the sweetness of victory. Celebration and jollity will resound in your respective dwellings and sorrow and sighing shall take a permanent and unremitting flight to the abyss.
“Onyendu expresses his profound gratitude and appreciation to millions of his followers and supporters scattered throughout the face of the earth. He declares to them never to lose hope, but to hold steadfastly to that one thing that is dear to them. He promises them that with the help of Chukwuokike Abiama, the present distraction will soon pass and that victory and celebration will be their lot.”
Although there has been no official disclosure about where and how Kanu was arrested by Interpol on June 27, 2021, the relatives and lawyers of the IPOB leader have described how he was taken into custody in Kenya under controversial circumstances and extradited to Nigeria, where he is currently facing trial before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja over terrorism charges.
The Federal Government had filed amended seven counts on Kanu, while the FHC issued a hearing notice for Thursday, October 21, 2021.
The notice titled, ‘Federal Republic of Nigeria Versus Nnamdi Kanu’, with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15, was served on his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and the prosecuting lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran.
Copyright PUNCH.
