The apex socio-cultural youth organization of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council OYC, has warned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to thread with caution on his utterances concerning the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which discharged and acquitted leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of terrorism charges.
The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja had on Thursday discharged and acquitted Kanu of terrorism charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
In his reaction to the judgement of the Appeal Court, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, through a statement signed by his spokesman, Dr. Umar Jibril Gwandu, said the Appeal court only discharged Kanu and did not acquit him of charges levelled against him.
“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has received the news of the decision of the Court of Appeal concerning the trial of Nnamdi Kanu,” Malami’s statement had said.
“For the avoidance of doubt and by the verdict of the Court, Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted.
“Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public.
Reacting to Malami’s claims, Ohanaeze Youth Council President, Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka, warned against the impending consequences that could be incurred, should the case be settled in Court or any further delay of Nnamdi Kanu release.
He stated “The Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to try Kanu in view of his abduction and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria in flagrant violation of the OAU Convention and protocol on extradition.”
Igboayaka reminded that attempts towards settling the subsisting case in Court would no doubt, tantamount to “aggravated hatred and ethnic division”, he warned.
“Why would Malami insist that the Nigerian government will pursue and explore other options to pursue Nnamdi Kanu’s trial after Thursday 13th October 2022 when a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal”.
“Why in the world should Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu note that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted.
” And why would he say that the decision handed down by the Court of Appeal was on a single issues that borders on rendition”, Igboayaka queried.
Igboayaka urged AGF Malami to “stop hitting the legal battle between Nnamdi Kanu and the federal government, but embrace the political solution initiated by Prof. George Obiozor, whom President Muhammadu Buhari has considered and accepted as a means to reintegrate Old Eastern Region to heal the wounds inflicted on Biafrans that have lingered since 1966- 2022(57yrs)”.
Comrade Igboayaka noted that although the Nigerian nation could as a result of haughtiness, sweep under the carpet the indispensable need to tender an apology to Nnamdi Kanu “but it’s historical on record that the federal government of Nigeria violated the extra-ordinary rendition process, and it is a democratic mockery to International best practices of the Law.
“In a civil society unlike Nigeria, Nnamdi Kanu deserves an official public apology with monetary compensation, Igboayaka noted.
“AGF Malami should bear in mind that if his personal idea is to pursue the case he must make necessary arrangements to send Nnamdi Kanu back to Kenya or Britain and follow the best legal International process to bring Nnamdi Kanu back to continue his trial.
“AGF Malami utterance is evident that he doesn’t understand the time and season Nigeria is facing, with the fractured and disjointed Nigeria of multi-ethnicity crisis. Hitting on Nnamdi Kanu case is indirect way of calling for civil war.
“Ndigbo cum indigenous Biafrans have explored every means of patience to see if Nigeria will work, therefore AGF Malami should know that the case between Nnamdi Kanu and federal government is not just about Nnamdi Kanu, but in actual sense it’s a case between Nigeria and defunct state of Biafra, Comrade Igboayaka recounted.
He continued “Malami should quit from his judicial rascality, impunity and ethnic hatred on Nnamdi Kanu case because Ndigbo are involved and embrace the political solution to the case so as to expedite plans on how the country could be healed from 1966 to 1970 genocide against Biafrans which Ndigbo paid the ultimate Price.
“The Federal government and Ndigbo should appreciate Prof George Obiozor the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide for his diplomatic and patriotic approach over Nnamdi Kanu case, which has made the matter not to escalate to National crisis.
“Therefore, a speedy release of Nnamdi Kanu will be a first step to starting the healing process of the wounds in Nigeria, Igboayaka concluded.
