•Otti vows not to allow Abia used as criminals’ base

South East states governors may appeal against the award of N8 billion imposed on them and the Federal Government by an Enugu State High Court presided over by Mr. Justice Anthony Onovo, last Thursday, as damages to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The court had awarded the compensation after quashing the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organisation. Kanu claimed the N8 billion damages against the Federal Government and South East governors for the physical, psychological, property and other losses he suffered as a result of infringements on his fundamental rights.

When asked when the affected governors will pay the N8 billion to Kanu, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, during a press conference in Government House, Umuahia, on Sunday night, said he was not yet in the position to comment on the matter, until he gets details of the court verdict.

The detained Afara Ukwu prince had, through his Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in January 2022, gone to Enugu High Court to seek nullification of IPOB’s proscription and terrorist tag on it, arguing that the separatist agitator (IPOB) was a duly registered organisation whose members were exercising their right of association.

According to him, delisting of IPOB as a terrorist organisation is in line with the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) and the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as restraining the government from proceeding with criminal proceedings against Kanu.

The court, in its judgment, agreed that the African Charter is binding on Nigerian courts. It also ordered the defendants to issue official letter(s) of apology to Kanu for the infringement on his fundamental rights and to publish both letter(s) in three national dailies.

Otti vowed that no part of Abia would, henceforth, be used for criminals activities, insisting that the Umunneochi Cattle market axis that harboured criminals had been converted to conventional daily market for every interested trader, and being fenced at great cost to protect the traders and their wares.

At the weekend, a special delegation of the House of Representatives led by Obi Aguocha, who were in the state to assess the reported criminal activities, commended the governor for the measures he has taken to address the issue. (The Guardian)

Update news