Nnamdi Kanu Absent In Court As Senator Who Stood Surety Wants Out | The Precision

A senator who stood as surety for leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has asked to be relieved of that role. 

Mr. Kanu was absent in court as at 10:50 a.m. on Tuesday morning as his trial for alleged treason continued at an Abuja court.

Eyinaya Abaribe, PDP-Abia, also applied to court to refund the N100
million bond earlier agreed to be given as part of Mr. Kanu’s bail
condition. 

Mr. Abaribe in his motion cited what he described as the invasion of
Mr. Kanu’s residence on September 11, during which a confrontation
occurred between IPOB supporters and the Nigerian Army.

According to the motion, Mr. Abaribe said Mr. Kanu has not been seen
since the September clashes between soldiers and IPOB members.

“Since the stated visit of the Nigerian Army to the residence of the
first defendant from September 11, 2017, the second respondent in this
suit (Mr. Kanu) has not been seen in public, neither has he been
reported as making any statement on any issue.”

“Since September 20, the reports have been that the federal
government has proscribed IPOB, and declared it a terrorist
organization. 

“The activities of the Nigerian Army as affecting the second
defendant are matters of state secret incapable of being unravelled by
the applicant, which activities have put the second defendant out of the
reach of the applicant, such that the applicant cannot reasonably be
expected to produce the second defendant before this court. 

“The applicant lacks capacity to produce the person stated by the
first respondent (government) as a terrorist or a person who is of
interest to the applicant,” Mr. Abaribe said.

Mr. Kanu’s whereabouts has been unknown since September 14 after the
IPOB confrontation with the army. While his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor,
says he is in the army’s custody, the army and other security agencies
say he is not.