BIAFRA: Kanu’s trial to continue Oct 17
The trial of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, who is out on bail has been slated to continue on October 17, 2017.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, fixed the date to begin full-blown hearing into the treasonable felony charge the Federal Government entered against Kanu.
He is being prosecuted alongside three other pro-Biafra agitators- Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.
This shift in date was occasioned by the ongoing annual vacation of the court which prevented the case from resuming this week as earlier scheduled. Upon resumption, the trial is billed to commence in earnest, with the prosecution expected to provide its witnesses.
This development is the latest in the unfolding drama surrounding the Biafra question and the controversial leader of IPOB currently on bail. Justice Binta Nyako had in a ruling on the 25th of April granted Kanu bail on health ground after close to two years in detention.
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The stringent bail conditions which generated much national discourse at the time was eventually met by Kanu. It will be recalled that as part of his conditions for bail, Kanu’s public appearances were greatly curtailed. Justice Nyako had stressed that “..the defendant must not attend any rally. He must not be in a crowd exceeding 10 persons”, a violation of which threatens the voidance of the bail.
This particular condition has in recent weeks sparked conversations around the country as to its perceived flagrant violation by the IPOB leader who has continued a sustained engagement effort across states of the South-East addressing and being greeted by large crowds. Some Kanu’s pronouncements have also come under close scrutiny including his more recent response to former President Olusegun Obasanjo which was read by many as an instigation of violence.
The freedom Kanu enjoys which clearly overly transcends his narrow bail leeway without any reactive move from the FG to enforce the original bail conditions, raises the question as to whether the issue will ultimately be pursued by the FG in the court of law.
As Kanu’s co-defendants remain in custody while the agitation for Biafra continues unabated, it remains to be seen how this matter which has assumed multiple ethnic colourations and generated heated national debates will eventually be laid to rest.
