FG’s only option is to release Nnamdi Kanu – IPOB lawyer

The Indigenous People of Biafra’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor has said the only valid option with the federal government is to release the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Ejiofor said this in a statement following his routine visit to Kanu at the headquarters of the Department of States Services (DSS) in Abuja on Thursday.

The lawyer said while the federal government has the constitutional right to contest the Appeal Court ruling that discharged Kanu, it has to first let the separatist leader go home first.

In the statement, Ejiofor partly said, “Today’s briefing centred on the late night “Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution” of the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, which was served on the office of our Lead Counsel- Chief Mike Ozekhom, SAN, yesterday, being the 19th day of October 2022, at 5:03 pm.

“Our strategies towards a successful upsetting of the efficacy of these processes as it affects Onyendu’s unconditional release were discussed with him, which strategies were all acceptable to him, particularly now that the “Motion for Stay of Execution” was fixed for hearing on Monday, being the 24th day of October, 2022.

“Though the FGN’s right of appeal is a Constitutional Right, it is our firm contention that the FGN must first and foremost, obey the Order of the Court of Appeal directing for the immediate and unconditional release of Kanu.

“The FGN has been in contempt of the positive Orders of Court made since the 13th day of October, 2022, by the Court of Appeal, which Orders clearly discharged Kanu, and prohibited the FGN from further detaining him and/or subjecting him to any further prosecution or trial.

“The law is settled that a party who is in disobedience of a Court Order, cannot be entitled to, or be granted the indulgence of the exercise of the equitable discretion of a Court of Law for “Stay of Execution” of the same Order the party is in its contempt.

“Kanu’s legal team, eminently led by our erudite Silk – Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is ever ready to literally remove the carpet from under their feet in Court, come the 24th day of October, 2022.

“There is no doubt, whatsoever, that this grossly incompetent application for “Stay of Execution” is to enable the lawless DSS to gain more time with the continued detention of Kanu, but their evil plan is dead on arrival because we are equal to the task!

“The only valid option available to the FGN now is to obey the Order made by a very Superior Court of Record, and immediately free Kanu unconditionally.

“Kanu is strongly convinced that our landmark victory resonates with the age-long testament that the Court is the last hope of the common man. He is firm in his conviction that this landmark victory has come to stay, and his freedom is sacrosanct.”

(Vanguard)