The Federal Government has amended the charges against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
A counsel for the IPOB leader who made this known also said the Federal Government listed some lawyers representing Nnamdi Kanu as accomplices of the defendant.
Among the lawyers said to be indicted by the Federal Government are Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Maxwell Opara.
The IPOB legal team member said the government claimed that the indicted lawyers were constantly in contact with Nnamdi Kanu after he allegedly jumped bail and fled the country.
Nnamdi Kanu, who is at the Federal High Court, Abuja, is expected to be re-arraigned on the fresh charges.
The court had, on April 8, exonerated the Federal Government on the allegation that the leader of the IPOB was forcefully abducted abroad to stand his trial.
Nyako, in a ruling, held that rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
Nyako said since Kanu was on a bench warrant, the law allowed that anywhere he is sighted, he can be arrested and be brought to face his trial.
“Rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
“In the instant case, there is a bench warrant on the defendant (Kanu). Suffice to say, he is a fugitive before the court,” she said.
The judge, who dismissed Kanu’s move to challenge the terrorism charge, upheld seven counts in the fresh charge filed by the federal government against the IPOB leader.
Nyako said that the federal government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had been able to establish some allegations against Kanu in counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15.
“Counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15 show some allegations. The court shall proceed to try the defendant (Kanu) on those counts,” she ruled.
After the review of the 15 counts, she held that about eight of the counts appeared to be similar and did not disclose action.
She, therefore, ordered that counts six, seven, nine, 10, 11, 12 13 and 14 should be struck out.
Nyako also ruled that the order proscribing IPOB as a terror group still subsisted until it was vacated since the issue was still on appeal.
She dismissed the argument of the counsel for Kanu, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, that whether IPOB was a terrorist organisation under the Nigerian law or not was still a subject of an appeal.
As of the time of filing this report, the hearing in the matter is still ongoing.
Details later…
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