By Our Reporters with Agency Sources
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has said the rearrest and repatriation of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was in accordance with the legal process.
This comes as lawyer to Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, has demanded N500m from the Federal Government for the losses incurred by his client after officers of the Department of State Services raided his residence.
A report by an online medium, Upshot reports, said that the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Public Relations, Jibrilu Gwandu, in a telephone interview stated that the IPOB leader was represented by a lawyer throughout the judicial process that led to the grant of his earlier bail.
The IPOB leader who is facing an 11-count charge of treason, treasonable felony, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms, among others, jumped bail in 2017 and left the country, only to re-emerge in Israel and then in the United Kingdom after the military attacked his family house in Afaraukwu in Abia state.
He was rearrested last week. He was initially arrested in late 2015 after calling for a separate state for Biafra, in South-East Nigeria.
He was re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday and ordered to be remanded in the custody of the DSS, while the case was adjourned till July 26 and July 27.
Gwandu said, “Bench warrant was lawfully and judiciously procured through judicial process by a competent court of law, whose bail conditions he breached with impunity.
“He was represented by a counsel all through the judicial process and was never denied a right of choice of counsel or recourse to one, even when he symbolises a proscribed association (IPOB) in law and, in fact, his association has been legally proscribed.
Gwandu also said that although the Office of the AGF had a meeting with the British High Commissioner on Thursday, the IPOB leader’s rearrest was not discussed.
“The legality or otherwise of Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest was not discussed in the meeting. I sent you a press release on the issues that were discussed. The meeting was scheduled long before the arrest,” he said.
The United Kingdom said it would seek clarification from the Federal Government on the circumstances and legality of Kanu’s rearrest.
The Head of Communications, British High Commission, Mr Dean Hurlock, had stated this while responding to enquiries from one of correspondents on Wednesday.
The Office of the AGF, in a statement on Thursday, also stated that the AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had a meeting with British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, adding that the issues discussed were the Electoral Act amendment, Petroleum Industry Bill, and Twitter ban.
The Federal Government explained that security and intelligence agencies were on the trail of Kanu for over two years before he was rearrested, saying the head of the outlawed IPOB movement was detained again on Sunday – without giving details on the location of his arrest.
A lawyer to Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, has demanded N500m from the Federal Government for the losses incurred by his client after officers of the Department of State Services raided his residence.
The DSS operatives on Thursday stormed the Ibadan, Oyo State, residence of the activist, who had been advocating Yoruba Nation. The services later issued a statement confirming the raid, disclosing that two Igboho’s aides were killed and ammunition allegedly retrieved from his residence.
In the letter titled, “Illegal gang grossly unconstitutional invasion of Sunday Igboho Residence,’’ signed by the lawyer, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN) of Chief Yomi Alliyu & CO, on Saturday, he demanded N500m as reparation for damage done by the DSS’ officers to his client’s exotic cars which included Mercedes Benz G-Class and 2019 Lexus car.
The solicitor also stated that during the house invasion, the DSS carted away €1,000, N2m, expensive jewellery worth millions, travel documents, amulets, Igboho’s iPhone 12 and phones of about 15 others living in the house including those killed by the officers and other yet-to-be-identified belongings.
He added, “We hereby demand that the Federal Government orders an investigation into the actions of the various security operatives led by DSS that raided Chief Sunday Adeyemo’s house with a view to sanctioning them and release all the innocent people arrested and compensate the families of those murdered. Our client should also be paid N500m as reparation for damage to his exotic cars that include Mercedes Benz G-Class and 2019 Lexus Car. We also demand a public apology.’’
The lawyer further said that every Nigerian was aware that in Igboho’s open crusade for the creation of Oodua Republic, he always preached peace and warned his followers never to resort to violence.
He said, “He always said that It is God and alale” that will fight for Yoruba Nation. We can boldly say that as people who followed his campaign, but not necessarily supporting dismemberment of Nigeria, that no casualty has ever occurred wherever such rallies were carried out. This must have been done in more than 20 Yoruba towns and cities as at date.
“No demand to enter was made but rather they shot their way into the house allegedly killing seven people though DSS spokesman admitted killing two people which involved an old imam that used to lead Muslim occupants in prayers and observing Tahjud at the time of the barbaric raid. A lady among the invaders was allegedly shouting, “If you get him gun him down.”
He also alleged that the operatives were disappointed that they couldn’t allegedly find a single gun or ammunition in his client’s house, hence arrested two police escorts of Igboho’s guests and added their “guns to those harvested from their armoury to make members of the public to believe that our client keeps militia or as stated by them, he is about waging war on Nigeria. Will this be with his mere amulets? People who know our client of over 20 years will testify that Igboho Oosa does not carry gun on his person!’’
