By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has again stressed its rejection of further trial of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the Nigeria Court system.

It said that the judgment of the Appeals Court, which ordered that its Leader should not be tried anymore in any Nigerian court, no matter what happens is where it stands.

A statement by the group’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful said: “The Supreme Court Judges agreed with them but lacked the courage and integrity to uphold the Appeals Court judgment. Too bad!

“The public should recall that the Supreme Court Justices on December 15, 2023, sent the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu back to the High Court in what was referred to as a compromised judgment. The same High Court fixed February 8, 2024, to commence hearing on the unknown matter or matters.

“Refusing to make an appearance on that day showed that the federal government of Nigeria has no cogent reason to either prosecute Mazi Nnamdi Kanu but should unconditionally release him. We knew that any continuation of their kangaroo trial would reveal that they did not have any case against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“The wicked and corrupt Supreme Court Justices were part of the oppressors and persecutors of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Today, we know for sure that the Nigeria legal system is solely controlled by the presidency.

“IPOB leadership has reviewed the actions of this and other lawless Nigeria governments and the corrupt judiciary of their legal system and totally stands on no further trial of our leader in the High Court or any other court.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, headed by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, knew why his Attorney General stopped the commencement of their appearance for the botched February 8 Abuja High Court trial against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB worldwide.

“No matter what they do today, we stand by “discharged and acquitted.” They know very well that they have no case against him or the organization that he leads. They are just utilizing the weak and bastardized instrumentality of the law in Nigeria to detain and persecute him.

“NIGERIA, LET OUR LEADER GO! The wicked persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other innocent IPOB members will continue to destroy Nigeria’s image locally and internationally now and into the future. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has been told by many that he has to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally because self-determination is lawful domestically and internationally.”

He urged President Tinubu to do the needful and stop the ethnic bigotry of the Fulani Caliphate against the Ndigbo, saying that the rampaging and murderous activities of the Fulani jihadists and terrorists across the country has shown that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB need to be commended not persecuted for exposing the agenda of the Jihadists, and for leading the Biafra self-determination effort to divide Nigeria in order to save lives.

It added, "If not for Kanu’s agitation for Biafra, the Nigeria State would have been islamised during late Muhammadu Buhari’s regime. We are interested in the preservation of Biafrans from marauding terrorist jihadists. Biafra liberation is a divine project that not even the late President Muhammadu Buhari nor President Tinubu or anyone else can stop.

“Our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was illegally abducted and detained for almost 2 years between 2015 and 2017. In 2021, our leader was again abducted,tortured, and extra ordinarily renditioned to Nigeria. For three years since 2021, our leader has again been remanded to solitary confinement in the Nigeria DSS dungeon, which adds up to 5 years of persecution.

“He was granted bail by the Abuja High Court in 2017. While he was still enjoying his bail, the battalions of the Nigerian murderous military invaded his home on September 14, 2017, to assassinate him. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu escaped the assassination attempt, but unfortunately, more than 28 persons, including IPOB members and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s relatives, were assassinated in the process.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu fled outside Nigeria for safety since the same government that granted him bail was the same government that came to assassinate him. The Federal Government not satisfied with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu being alive, used her secret security agents in collaboration with other International secret agents and went to Kenya kidnapped, tortured, and illegally detained him in a private residence for 8 days, and later extraordinarily renditioned him to Nigeria blindfolded.

“For almost 3 years, the Federal Government of Nigeria has illegally detained and persecuted him for championing the Biafra Self Determination movement.

“Irrespective of all the judiciary rigmarole, eventually, some courageous Honourable Justices in the Nigerian Appeals Court in Abuja on October 13, 2022, delivered a landmark Judgment that history will never forget. The Court, in its ruling, discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of all the trumped-up charges based on the illegal abduction and extraordinary rendition by the Nigerian government.

“Instead of the Nigeria government to obey the ruling of the Court of Appeals, they decided to intimidate the honourable Justices by transferring them out of Abuja jurisdiction to different areas of the country. Later, the Nigerian government selected their own corrupt justices for the same Court of Appeal that set aside the previous judgment that discharged our leader to ask for a stay of execution of those orders.”

While appealing to the Supreme Court to remedy the abuse of the judicial process by the federal government in selecting corrupt justices to replace the ones that they transferred, IPOB noted that during the Supreme Court judgment, the Supreme Court acknowledged that:

“The abduction and extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was illegal.

“The Court acknowledged that the invasion of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s home in 2017 was an assassination attempt on his person.

“And the court acknowledged that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not jump bail.

“However, the heavily prejudice induced Supreme Court Justices failed to deliver an uncompromised judgment in line with the violation of the extradition order act, which is an international crime.Instead, the compromised Supreme Court Justices transferred the case back to the High Court.

“This treacherous actions of referring the case back to High Court and non- appearance of the Federal Government to the High Court hearing on February 8, 2024, shows that the Nigeria Government is not interested in any legal trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“They understand the illegality they are engaging in. They are only punishing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for daring to champion the Biafra Self Determination movement.

“In view of the above scenarios and other considerations, the IPOB family worldwide, therefore, firmly stands on NO more court trial of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. We call on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to unconditionally release our leader and other innocent IPOB members in various detention facilities across the country.

“No amount of illegal abduction, detention, extrajudicial killings, and forceful disappearance will stop the quest for Biafra independence and the call for a referendum. IPOB has come to restore Biafra, and it is either Biafra or Biafra. That is our oath, and so help us, GOD.”