The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has appealed to the federal government to release without further delay all its members detained in various prisons in Nigeria, as well as those standing trial in courts as a result of their agitation for the creation of the state of Biafra from Nigeria.
In a statement obtain by IgbereTv Editor Mr. Chukwu Solomon which were signed by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, alleged that the federal government was not serious about prosecuting their case but preferred adjournments and deferment of cases, government had better allow them to regain their freedom he said.
Citing the many applications by the prosecution, the statement pointed that it seemed the government was trying to frustrate the adjudication of the cases, hence the appeal to release all detained as a result of the agitation.
“Owing to moves by Nigerian government to frustrate, through frivolous applications and adjournments, all pending cases involving IPOB in various courts within and outside Nigeria, we the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, think that the time has come for this Buhari regime to release all those held illegally in detention centres and prisons across the country.
“It is unheard of in the history of the world that a government is seen to be running from their own courts and afraid of legal processes they themselves instituted against a group they labelled a terrorist organisation.
“Normally, a terrorist group or unlawful society would not want to undergo public legal scrutiny but in the case of IPOB, we have offered and have taken this Buhari regime to court to prove that we are a peaceful organisation pursuing our inalienable right to self-determination.
“This Buhari administration is yet to convince the world in an open court of law which part of IPOB right to self determination as presently exercised, is in breach of any known law of the land. It is the Buhari regime that is behaving like terrorists by failing to appear and doing everything they can to frustrate and delay ongoing cases so they won’t be cross examined under oath in an open court.
“Till date the Nigerian government have consistently failed to produce a single witness to testify on their behalf or corroborate their wild accusations against IPOB. In over two years of bringing charges and amended charges against IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu alongside three others (Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Chidiebere Onwudiwe) and numerous other Biafrans detained across Nigeria on treasonable felony and conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, the Attorney General of the Federation and DSS have not produced a single evidence or material witness to substantiate their allegations that IPOB activities is in any way illegal.
“Instead each court appearance has been turned into a drama session by the prosecution who will either pressure Justice Binta Nyako to adjourn on a flimsy excuse or they simply amend the charge so the case with start afresh. Perversely this abuse of court process has been sanctioned by the Nigerian Judicial Council, NJC, because of their failure to provide adequate protection for their judges handling IPOB cases, from the intimidation of DSS and other government agencies,” the statement posited.
