…. Taken to Court in Handcuffs
Nigeria’s most wanted fugitive, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, has been arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja, even as more details emerged on circumstances surrounding his arrest and repatriation on Sunday, June 27, 2021.
Federal attorney general and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, who broke the news of Kanu’s arrest on Tuesday at a media briefing, said “recent steps taken by the federal government saw to the interception of the fugitive, Kanu” but did not give further details on how and where he was nabbed.
Tell however learnt that Kanu was actually arrested in the Czech Republic. He was said to have travelled from his United Kingdom base to Singapore before heading to Czech Republic on Friday where he was arrested.
The Czech Republic officials were said to have tipped off the Nigerian government of Kanu’s presence in the country leading to the arrest of the IPOB leader on Sunday in Prague.
Lawyer to the federal government, Shuaibu Labaran had told news men that Kanu was arrested through intelligence and collaborative efforts of security agencies.
Following Labaran’s ex-parte application, Justice Binta Nyako ordered that Kanu, who was brought to court in handcuffs and hooded, be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
Justice Nyako granted an accelerated hearing by bringing the charges pending against him from the earlier adjourned date of October 20 to July 26 and 27, 2021.
Consequently, Kanu was smuggled out of the court through the judge’s access stair case.
Earlier at a press conference attended by the inspector general of police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali, and head of department of state security, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, Malami had said Kanu would be returned to court “to continue facing trial after interfering while on bail regarding 11-count charge against him”.
The attorney general listed Kanu’s offences as “engaging in subversive activities that include inciting violence through television, radio and other broadcast against the Nigerian State and institutions”.
According to Malami, “Kanu was also accused of instigating violence especially in Southeastern Nigeria that resulted in the loss of lives and property of civilians, military, paramilitary, police force, and destruction of civic institutions and symbols of civic authorities”.
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