A group of Nigerians on Thursday staged a protest in Abuja, decrying the spate of insecurity in the South-East region.
The protesters gathered at the gate of the National Assembly with placards.
Some of the placards bore the images of victims of attacks by gunmen in the region.
The protesters, who wore branded T-shirts, also faulted calls for the release of the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
They called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly not to yield to pressure to discontinue the ongoing trial of the IPOB leader.
Calls For Release
There have been calls, especially from oppostion leaders, for the release of Kanu, who is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a seven-count charge bordering of his alleged involvement in terrorism activities.
He has remained in the custody of the DSS since his re-arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition to Nigeria in June 2021.
In October, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticised the continued detention of the IPOB leader, describing it as “an open sore on our nation’s conscience.”
Atiku called for Kanu’s immediate release, insisting that his prolonged detention represents a grave violation of the rule of law.
“Defying court orders that granted him bail is an abuse of power and an assault on justice.
“I, therefore, lend my voice in full support of the campaign led by @YeleSowore for his immediate release or due prosecution,” he said in a statement.
Kanu’s Trial
In September, the Federal High Court, Abuja, rejected the no-case submission of the self-acclaimed leader of the IPOB in his ongoing alleged terrorism trial.
In a ruling, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution had established a case against Kanu to warrant that he be ordered to enter his defence.
The judge, who dismissed Kanu’s no-case submission, found that the evidence led by the prosecution and the exhibits it tendered, have raised serious allegations of Kanu’s involvement in terrorist activities to warrant that he be allowed to defend himself.
Kanu ‘Fit To Stand Trial’
On Thursday, the team led by the president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said the ailment complained about by Kanu was not life-threatening.
Justice Omotosho had ordered the medical team to ascertain Kanu’s actual health status following conflicting claims on the issue by medical experts engaged by the prosecution and the defence.
Justice Omotosho had ordered the medical team to ascertain Kanu’s actual health status following conflicting claims on the issue by medical experts engaged by the prosecution and the defence.
In the panel’s report, submitted to the court on October 13 by the prosecution team led by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), part of which was read in open court during Thursday’s proceedings, it was stated that the defendant’s ailment is not life-threatening.
The team concluded that Kanu was fit to stand trial.
Based on the information contained in the report and in the absence of any objection from lawyers to the parties, Justice Omotosho said the court was convinced that the defendant could proceed with the trial.
Private Consultation Meeting
Justice Omotosho subsequently granted the defendant six consecutive days, beginning from October 23, to open and close his defence.
The judge granted an oral application by his lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), that Kanu’s legal team be granted a private consultation opportunity with the defendant, outside the premises of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Agabi said the defendant’s legal team was afraid that its consultation with him (Kanu) could be tapped or recorded by the DSS.
Justice Omotosho also acceded to Agabi’s request that the private meeting with Kanu be held in the courtroom, during which only the defendant and his lawyers would be present.
By the court’s directive, the private consultation meeting will be held within the courtroom between 9 am and noon on October 22, while the trial will resume on October 23.
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