Bail Application: IPOB Condemns Judge Over Denial of Kanu’s Application

The United Kingdom (UK) branch of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has given condemned the denial of the bail application, filed by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by Justice James Tsoho of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The UK IPOB branch in a statement through its spokesperson, Emma Nmezu, a lawyer, and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya, argued that the judge placed his judgment for not granting Kanu’s bail application on three reasons. The statement identifies the reasons as; “That Mazi Kanu was a threat to national security, secondly, that if released, he might commit the same offence again and thirdly, that there was a probability that Nnamdi Kanu might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship. “While the first and the third reasons are very clear, but unsustainable statements, we are at a loss with the second reason and do not know exactly what the Justice meant by “might commit the same offence again. “To the best of our knowledge, Mazi Kanu has not even been tried in the court, let alone talk of being convicted. Therefore, we do not understand the offence he was found guilty of committing and for which he will likely commit again if released, according to Justice Tsoho. “Is it a possibility that the Justice Tsoho misspoke or that he never actually uttered this travesty of a statement. On the first reason adduced, we are yet to get detailed information on what the Judge meant by “threat to national security” because we know that Mazi Kanu is not associated with Boko Haram or any terrorist organization. Again, we are pushed to believe that Justice Tsoho misspoke,” said IPOB. “We are, however, shocked on the third reason, to hear that a denial of bail will be based on the accused person’s dual citizenship. Even though the Judge did not mention the other country to which Nnamdi Kanu is a citizen, we know he was referring to Britain. “But we also know that there is an extradition agreement between Nigeria and Britain and extraditing Mazi Kanu to Nigeria, should he flee to Britain will not be a problem for the Nigerian government. Therefore, we conclude that the judgment of Justice Tsoho is inappropriate, biased, wrong, and must be overturned by an Appeal Court Judge.”