Army invasion: Court orders FG to pay Nnamdi Kanu N1bn, recommends political solution

 

 

 

Steve Unegbu, Umuahia and Phil Okose Onitsha

 

 

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday defeated the Federal government at the Abia State High Court.

 

 

Justice Ben Anya of the High Court siting in Abia State, rejected the Nigerian government’s challenge of its jurisdiction to hear Kanu’s fundamental rights suit.

 

Kanu, through his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, had initiated the fundamental human rights suit against the Nigerian government.

 

In the suit, Ejimakor had urged the court to declare the invasion of the residence of the IPOB leader in Abia State in 2017 as unlawful and an infringement of his constitutional right.

 

He urged the court to declare his rearrest and torture in Kenya last year as unlawful.

 

The suit, which Ejimakor filed in August, further sought the court to stop the Nigerian government from prosecuting Kanu, mandating it to release the IPOB leader and tender an apology to Kanu, among others.

 

 

But, during the  proceedings, the Federal government challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.

 

The court ordered the Federal government and the Nigeria Army to pay N1 billion to Nnamdi Kanu for unlawful invasion of his house in September 2017 and violation of his fundamental Rights .

 

In a swift reaction, The Nigerian Army says it will study the judgment of the High Court in Abia State that chastised it for invading the home of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

 

Counsel to the Nigerian Army, Amos Tony, on Wednesday said the military would respond appropriately to the court order that indicted it for violating the fundamental human rights of Nnamdi Kanu.

 

 

According to Sahara Reporters, the Nigerian Army counsel said they would react accordingly after studying the judgment by Justice Benson Anya of the Abia High Court, Umuahia.

 

 

The court gave the judgment on Wednesday after condemning the army’s invasion of Kanu’s house in September 2017 during Operation Python Dance II.

 

The court also ordered the army and Nigerian Government to apologise to Kanu in three national dailies for the infringement of his fundamental human rights.

 

However, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) reiterated Wednesday that IPOB and ESN operatives have no camps in Lilu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State where criminals are  harboured.

 

It made this disclosure through its Spokesman, Emma Powerful, while reacting to the allegation by the security operatives that IPOB uses the area as base .

 

According to him, “we are not militants and Criminals and don’t need any camp in Ihiala LGA. We are identifiable and we are all over Biafra land and IPOB branches in the Diaspora”.

 

“Nigeria security agencies are using the hatred they have on the people of Biafra particularly IPOB and ESN members to unleash cruelty on the people living in these communities where they suspect that criminals are taking refuge.

 

“If crimials take refuge in any Community in Biafra land, that doesn’t make them IPOB members or ESN operatives. We have also not said there are no more criminal gangs in Biafra land just like every other country even in the advanced Western nations. But we won’t accept the tagging of every Criminal element found in Biafra as IPOB member or ESN operative.”

 

Emma Powerful recalled that, ” some of these criminals were already mentioned by IPOB leadership sometime during a broadcast. IPOB leadership said these criminals were unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens in some commuunities. Some of these hoodlums were a creation of wicked politicians in their desperation to discredit IPOB and ESN.”

 

“In Orsumoghu, Nnewi South, Lilu Orsumenyi of Ihiala LGA of Anambra State these criminals are the ones impersonating ESN/IPOB members using ESN name to commit crimes against the people of these communities, they are not ESN members, the communities involved should use their vigilant group and stop them , ESN will help them too.”

 

In Orlu, Imo state, criminals are impersonating ESN/IPOB members to demonise IPOB and ESN members, they are sponsored by Hope Uzodinma and his co-travellers and traitors to demonise IPOB and ESN members in Imo State ”

 

” one Agu and Ojoo and their gang are collecting Illegal levy at Eke Ututu in the name of ESN when they are neither ESN operatives nor IPOB family members. The one they call Sky and Zuma are collecting proceeds from innocent communities. IGBANDA and his gangs are also collecting 5,000 Naira from Orlu people in the name of ESN.

 

These names mentioned or listed in this press statement have been declared Persona Non Grata in Biafraland and they remain so. People must stop giving them money they are not ESN oprrayive and not IPOB volunteers.”

 

“Again, ESN does not write letters to people or make calls to people requesting for funds, funds for what we ask? IPOB and ESN  have no dealings with such evil activities of these criminals who are now on ESN watchlist. Be warned and stop giving them money in the name of ESN or IPOB volunteers.”

 

“Contact these numbers to report any crime from individuals, cult groups or criminal gangs using the name of IPOB/ESN to commit crimes. The  numbers are, ‘+1248 949 4843 and +61434294745 ”

 

” IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives have also been making efforts to apprehend these agents of sorrow. We cannot watch these beasts created and sponsored by Hope Uzodinma, his masters in Miyeti Allah and their co-travellers to destroy Biafra land.

 

It is therefore, wicked and annoying that the Nigeria Army, Police and DSS will keep dishing out falsehood against IPOB and ESN by claiming that these criminals when arrested, are IPOB and ESN members. The so-called camp where these said criminals were arrested does not belong to ESN. They should stop lying against us,” he stated.