IPOB: Kanu’s Kinsman asks court to order his repatriation from UK

.Soldiers invade Kanu’s home, cart away property – brother
Francesca Iwambe- Abuja and Sunday Nwakanma – Umuahia

Ugochukwu Kenneth, a Kinsman from the clan of the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court praying it to order the British High commission and the Nigerian Immigration Service to arrest and repatriate him from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria to answer to his terrorism trial.

Kenneth, through his lawyers,Obor John, Esq and Tersagh Unande, Esq‎, is also praying the court to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to advise President Mohammadu Buhari to declare the British High Commission as persona non grata over her complicity in facilitating and harbouring a fugitive from justice in her territory being the United Kingdom.

‎Joined as parties in the case with ‎suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/9300/17 are the British High Commission, the Comptroller, Nigerian Immigration Service and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The case has been assigned to Justice Tsoho and will be coming up on ‎October 12, 2017 for mention.

The plaintiff amongst other prayers has asked the court to determine whether by a true interpretation of Sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 the 1st and 2nd Defendants have not abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to prevent and arrest the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for treason and terrorism in Nigeria from illegally travelling to the United Kingdom.

He also prayed the court to determine whether the British High Commission is not under obligation to repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu –a fugitive from justice irrespective of him holding dual nationalism of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, back to Nigeria to stand trial for the offences of treason and terrorism pursuant to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and the United Nations Convention on Terrorism?

Some of the prayers read in part: A declaration that by a true interpretation of Sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and Section 2 (1) of the Immigration Act 2015 the 1st and 2nd Defendants have abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to prevent and arrest the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for treason in Nigeria from illegally travelling to the United Kingdom and remaining as a fugitive from justice in the United Kingdom.

A declaration that the British High Commission is under obligation to repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu-a fugitive from justice, irrespective of him holding dual nationalism of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, back to Nigeria to stand trial for the offences of treason and terrorism pursuant to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and the United Nations Convention on Terrorism.

He also prayed the court for an order compelling the 1st and 2nd Defendants to arrest and repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria to stand his trial.

He prayed the court to make an order compel the 3rd defendant to advise the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to declare the British High Commission as persona non grata for her complicity in facilitating and harbouring a fugitive from justice in her territory being the United Kingdom.

In the affidavit in support of the suit, deposed to, by the plaintiff, he said, “That consequent upon the above condition, Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, the Senator representing the good people of Abia South Senatorial District of Abia State, Tochukwu Uchendu and Jewish Chief High Priest Immanuel –El Shalom Oka-Ben Madu perfected the bail bond which facilitated the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“That upon the perfection of the bail and consequent released of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from prison custody, Mazi Kanu has to the best of my knowledge breached all the bail conditions to wit; granting press interviews while on bail, participating in any rally, or being found in a crowd of more than ten persons in the course of the bail and to make matters worse, Mazi Kanu has finally travelled to the United Kingdom in an attempt to escape trial and the arm of the law..

“That I know as a fact that if Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has travelled to the United Kingdom in an attempt to escape justice, fails to appear in Court on the next adjourned date being 17th October, 2017 the freedom of the Senator representing my District and other co-sureties will be in jeopardy.

“That consequent upon the above, if Senator Abaribe who is my representative is finally arrested as required by law, myself and the good people of Abia South Senatorial District will be denied representation at the Senate and by extension the dividends of democracy.

Meanwhile, the Afaraukwu country home of the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu and entire Umuahia was Sunday afternoon thrown into confusion as the men of the Nigerian Army, infurtherance of the Opereation Python Dance II, invaded the house of Nnamdi Kanu.

The younger brother of Nnamdi Kanu, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, raised this alarm alleging that soldiers again, invaded their Afaraukwu Umuahia family home and this time, carted away some household items.

He accused the invaders of “looting the palace” and making away with such items as television, generating sets, clothes among other belongings of the family, and called on the international community to prevail on the Nigeria Army to stop raiding their home, and to produce his bother whose whereabouts according to him has remained unknown since after the September 14 military invasion of the compound.

But when contacted the Desk Officer of Operation Python Dance in charge of Abia State acknowledged the raid, stating however that no household items were removed from Kanu’s home.
According to him the operation was based on the intelligence that arms were hidden in the compound.

“The things removed may be technical items. Somebody was arrested with weapon in the compound, the Desk Officer said.

The Army Officer who preferred to be simply identified as “Desk Officer for the operation” also said it was a joint operation with the police, and directed further enquiries to the police.

Efforts to elicit reaction from the police, however, did not yield any fruit as the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in the state, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna did not pick calls put to his cell phone, and did not respond to a text message sent to his phone as at the time of filing this report.

The Commissioner of Police Mr. Anthony Ogbizi did also not pick his calls even though it rang out twice, and did not call back as at the time of filing this report.