An Abuja Federal High Court has been asked to declare Nnamdi Kanu,
leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, fugitive in the United
Kingdom, UK.
The court was also asked to order the arrest and repatriation of the
IPOB leader from his UK base back to Nigeria for his trial in 21 days.
The plaintiff, Donald Okonkwo, made the appeal in a suit filed by his counsel, Abiodun Sodiq, yesterday.
Okonkwo also joined the British High Commission in Nigeria, the
Department of State Services, DSS, and the Attorney-General of the
Federation as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively in the case.
In the suit, Okonkwo urged the court to determine the following
issues: “Whether the 1st Defendant is not under obligation to repatriate
the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, being a fugitive cum
terrorist from the Great Britain where he has been hiding since
September, 2017 under the cover of his citizenship status back to
Nigeria so he can stand his trial for treasonable felony, amongst other
sundry offences, pending against him before Honourable Justice (Mrs.)
Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja?
“Whether by a true interpretation of Sections 1, 4 and 5 of the
Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 the 2nd Defendant has not
abdicated his duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to arrest and
extradite the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from the Great
Britain back to Nigeria so he can stand his trial for treasonable
felony, amongst other sundry offences, considering the Bench Warrant
issued on 28th March, 2019 by Honourable Justice (Mrs.) Binta Nyako of
the Federal High Court Abuja for the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu after it
was determined that he flouted his bail conditions?
“Whether the 3rd Defendant, as the Chief Law Officer of the
Federation is not under a statutory duty to advise the President and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria to severe diplomatic relations with the 1st Defendant for
harbouring Mazi Nnamdi Kanu being a fugitive cum terrorist in the Great
Britain and whether the failure of the 3rd Defendant does not amount to
abdication of his duties under the of the Terrorism (Prevention)
(Amendment) Act, 2013?”
He prayed the court to declare that the 2nd respondent “abdicated his
duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to arrest and extradite the
IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from the Great Britain back to
Nigeria so he can stand his trial for treasonable felony, amongst other
sundry offences.”
Okonkwo urged the court to order that the AGF is under a statutory
duty to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to severe diplomatic ties with
the British high commission in Nigeria ”for harbouring Mazi Nnamdi Kanu
being a fugitive cum terrorist”.
The plaintiff also asked the court to order the 1st defendant “to
tender public apology to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 3 (Three)
national dailies within 21 (Twenty One) days from the date of delivery
of judgment in this suit for her complicity in facilitating the escape
from justice and harbouring of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the Great Britain,
thereby allowing him to cause innocent Nigerian citizens serious
emotional trauma through the instrumentality of incessant threat of
violence, breach of peace and overthrow of the legitimate government in
Nigeria.”
Kanu had fled Nigeria for UK during a raid on his Abia residence by security operatives in September 2017.