– The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had earlier disclosed plans to pursue the independent state of Biafra under international law
– The pro-Biafra group demanded the release of 23 other agitators that are detained in Awka and Onitsha prisons since 2006
Kanu during one of his appearances in court
Following the continued unlawful detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has finalized plans to deal with the Nigerian government, Ynaija reports.
MASSOB’s national director of information, Samuel Edeson, in a statement issued in Awka, Anambra state on Wednesday, April 6 revealed that the pro-Biafra group is set to take the case of Kanu to the International Court of Justice at The Hague, The Netherlands.
He said the decision which is in accordance with Article 93 (2) procedure of the ICJ, otherwise known as World Court, would enable MASSOB bring forward its case, as a non-member of the United Nations.
Edeson further disclosed that the delegation to The Hague would be led by the group’s national leader, Uchenna Madu, and six others.
The MASSOB spokesperson, however, called on the federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu and Ben Onwuka of the Biafra Zionist Movement to avert what he described as “catastrophic consequences.”
The pro-Biafra group also demanded the release of 23 other agitators that have been in detention since 2006 in Awka and Onitsha prisons.
Daily Sun reports that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had earlier disclosed plans to pursue the independent state of Biafra under international law.
The group in a statement by its media and publicity secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, claimed that Biafra had been in existence before the coming of British colonial masters to Nigeria.
Nnamdi Kanu, who is one of the leaders of the pro- Biafra group agitating for the independence of the Biafran states has was arrested in Lagos in October 2015 on conspiracy and terrorism charges, later dropped.
Kanu, who has been remanded at the Kuje prison in Abuja and is facing charges of treason. He has been granted bail by three competent court of justice but the government has refused to let him walk.
He has been kept in detention against the ruling of the courts. As part of desperate effort to secure the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the group recently changed the lead solicitor in Kanu’s defence team.
The decision was made known in a statement issued by the group’s spokespersons, Emma Mmezu and Clifford Iroanya, saying Vincent Obetta’s services were terminated as he was no longer capable of handling such high profile case and he was replaced by Chief Chuks Muoma (SAN).
Few days ago, the radio Biafra director and leader of the IPOB group, on Tuesday, April 5,through his counsel, Chuks Muoma made moves to stall the continuation of his trial before a federal high court in Abuja. Kanu’s counsel in an application prayed the court to stay further proceedings on his trial until the Appeal Court takes a decision on a ruling by the court for the Department of State Services (DSS) to protect its witness.
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