Legal
practitioners, under the aegis of Lawyers of Conscience (LAWCONS) have
called for the immediate arrest of Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer to IPOB
leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other persons working for the outlawed
Indigenous People of Biafra.
The group said it was an insult on
the side of the Nigerian government that the now labeled-terrorist
group, IPOB led by Kanu could have the mind to file a suit before the
Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order directing the Chief of
Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to produce its leader in court.
LAWCONS
said it was worried that law enforcement agencies were yet to act on
the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja that designated IPOB as a
terrorist organization.
Babatunde Oladimeji, President, while
speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, noted that Ejiofor
was only out to complicate the issues by claiming that the military was
in custody of his client and not in London as widely reported.
Oladimeji
said, “Knowing that he had grossly violated his bail conditions for his
treason trial, Kanu had deliberately instigated his followers to attack
troops on Operation Python Dance II drills to claim attacks on his
person when they acted to defend themselves.
“In the wake of the
incident of September 14 when Ifeanyi said he last saw his client, Kanu
was on telephone live with a broadcast station, in which he condemned
the military for repelling his fighters. IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful,
had categorically declared that they ferried the terrorist leader to
safety.
“Emma Powerful specifically stated in the statement
on September 18 2017 (four days after the dates referenced by his
lawyer) that “Our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has made it abundantly clear
to all and sundry that he is NOT going on exile as a result of these
childish threats from Hausa Fulani dominated Nigeria Government.”
He
further said “Major General Muhammadu Buhari and his APC band of thugs
should be the ones hiding from IPOB not us from them. It is unfortunate
that some people in Arewa North do not know who Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is
hence they keep coming up with laughable fabrications designed to
demystify our leader, to no avail.”
“Once the court declared
Kanu’s group a terrorist organisation after making these boasts, he
realized for the first time the enormity of his transgressions and he
fled further. He first ran to Bayelsa State with his parents and from
there he escaped through Nigeria’s border with Cameroon. We all know
Cameroon’s connection with France and the role France is reportedly
playing in financing and supporting IPoB.
“Ifeanyi Ejiofor
however contacted other members of IPoB and assured them that Operation
Python Dance II is a good cover for Nnamdi Kanu to evade being returned
to detention for breaching his bail conditions. He instructed the terror
group’s propagandist, Emma Powerful, AKA Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the IPoB
leader’s brother to change his earlier press statement and begin
claiming that Kanu’s whereabouts are unknown as the military might have
killed or arrested him.
“Even if Kanu can successfully remain
in a cowardly hiding past the October 17 date when he is due in court,
he would of necessity have to resurface, at which point the entire IPoB
group would have been exposed as a pack of terrorist lies that it is.
The scenario nonetheless sets a bad precedence that must be nipped in
the bud immediately.”
The group therefore demanded that
security agencies should without delay arrest Ifeanyi Ejiofor for
belonging to a terror organization contrary to the laws of Nigeria.
He
added, “It amounts to contempt of court for security agencies to not
act in accordance with the court order that designated IPoB a terrorist
organization. It sets a bad precedent and it is a matter of time before
some Boko Haram terrorists would come up with their own suit asking the
Federal Government to grant their leader, Abubakar Shekau, freedom of
movement.
“The military and the other security agencies must
not play with our intelligence as peace loving Nigerians are not
ignorant of international provisions that allows for the activation of
red alert for high profile terrorists. They should therefore approach
Interpol to assist in fishing Nnamdi Kanu out from Cameroon, France or
any other country he might have fled to.”
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