By Nwafor Okafor
Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),Nnamdi Kanu has again warned those fomenting trouble in the South-East to stop.
Kanu gave the administration on Tuesday in viral video shortly after his court outing in Abuja.
While vowing to continue the Biafra struggle until victory would be achieved, Kanu said what he would not tolerate was the growing insecurity in Biafraland.
Asked whether had any regrets being in detention over Biafra, the IPOB leader beamed a smile and quipped, ” No, no. Not at all. Why should I be? It’s a struggle we expect to have.
“But I want our people to be calm. I want Biafraland to be calm and peaceful; calm and very very peaceful. We’re fighting to defend our people,not to kill them. That’s why I’m here. I will continue to do so until we get victory.
Kanu had on Tuesday lost a fresh bail application filed before the Federal High court, Abuja.
The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, said she was not satisfied with the reason the IPOB leader gave for his failure to appear in court for continuation of his trial.
Dismissing the fresh bail application as abuse of court process, the court held that Kanu remains in custody pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.
The defendant also, through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, challenged the revocation of the previously granted bail application.
Arguing the application, Ozekhome prayed the court to discard the order it made on March 28, 2019, which not only issued a bench warrant for his arrest, but also gave FG the nod to try him in absentia.
Pressing further, he noted that, contrary to FG’s allegation that he jumped bail, Kanu fled for his life after his home town at Afaraukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State was invaded by soldiers, which he said led to the death of 28 persons.
He maintained that his client was denied fair hearing before his bail was revoked.
Consequently, he attached eight exhibits that included photographs, as well as an affidavit he deposed to from Isreal after he fled from the country.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako said”In fact, he sureties told the court that they did not know the whereabouts of the defendant and even applied to be discharged from the matter.Therefore, the Defendant was not denied fair hearing.
”Though a court could vacate a previous order when confronted with a cogent and verifiable reason, “in the instant case, I have not been given any, neither have I been given any reason to set-aside the order.
“The present application amounts to an abuse of court process for attempting to relitigate an issue already decided by the court.If the Defendant is dissatisfied, he has the Appeal Court to go to.
“This application is accordingly dismissed”, Justice Nyako held.
It will be recalled that the court had also on March 18, declined to release the embattled IPOB leader on bail.
The court maintained that Kanu must explain the reason why he breached the previous bail that was given to him, before he could enjoy another favourable discretion from it.
