Biafra: Court orders Abaribe, others to produce Nnamdi Kanu

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered service of its enrolled order on Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and two other sureties to produce the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu or risk jail term.

Justice Binta Nyako yesterday directed the counsel to the Federal Government, Magaji Labaran to effect service on the sureties to show cause why they would not also forfeit the N100m bail bond made on behalf of Kanu, who is now at large, during the next hearing on June 26.

The court had in April, 2017 released Kanu on health grounds to Abaribe, Jewish High Priest, Immanuu-El Shalom and Abuja based chartered accountant, Tochukwu Uchendu as sureties on a bail bond of N100m each.

But Kanu’s whereabouts has remained unknown since a military operation in his residence in Umuahia, Abia State in September 2017.

Lawyers to the sureties, Chukwuma MachukwuUme (SAN) for Abaribe; K.C. Chude for El-Shalom; and Aloy Ejimakor for Uchendu all informed the court that their clients have not been served with the court papers to produce Kanu after the order was made.

Machukwu-Ume said he brought his client, Senator Abaribe to court in deference to the court after they learnt about the order through the media.

But prosecution counsel, Labaran argued that the submissions were intended to delay the hearing of the application to show cause, and asked the court to refuse it.

Meanwhile, the judge has advised counsel to the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Bawa (SAN), who is joined as a party in the proceeding, not to make any submission until the issue of service on sureties was concluded.

Following Kanu’s disappearance, the court in February separated the trial of Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, who were charged with treasonable felony, illegal importation of radio transmitter, and unlawful possession of firearms alongside Kanu.