By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, turn down application to revoke a warrant of arrest issued against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The arrest warrant was issued against Kanu on March 28, 2019 following his dramatic disappearance from Nigeria to unknown destination, after his bail was granted on April 25, 2017.
The detained IPOB leader, had in application filed through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, asked for an order setting aside the order made on March 28, 2019, directing for his arrest and continuation of his trial in absentia.
The senior lawyer submitted that his client was denied of fair hearing by the court through the trial in absentia.
On the bench ruling, the court held that the motion lacked merit because Kanu had not explained his whereabouts for over two years when he jumped bail.
The Judge dismissed Kanu’s claims that he was denied fair hearing because the order for his arrest was issued in his absence.
The court maintained that Kanu was adequately represented in court when the Federal Government applied for the warrant of arrest and that his surety, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe was also in court.
Recall that the Kanu was first arrested in October 2015, for demanding the separation of Nigeria from Biafra.
He was granted bail on health grounds and was asked to present three sureties, one of whom must be a serving senator, a Jewish religious leader and a highly respected person who must own a landed property in Abuja.
The judge, then, warned him against granting press interviews, holding rallies or being in a gathering of more than 10 persons while on bail.
However, in September 2017, Kanu reportedly went missing and stopped attending court proceedings, while alleging that he decided to flee the country following an invasion of his family residence in Umuahia, Abia by security operatives.
Kanu’s disappearance stalled his trial which he was jointly undergoing along with his co-defendants.
With the development, the judge severed his trial from that of other co-defendants to stop further delay in the others’ cases
However, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, in June 2021, announced that the IPOB leader had been “intercepted” and returned to Nigeria.
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