Nnamdi Kanu: Abaribe Wants Buratai Indicted, Seeks N10m Compensation

Senator Enyinaya Abaribe has dragged the Federal Government before the Federal High Court Abuja over the issue involving the bail conditions of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nnamdi Kanu.

Abaribe is the Senator standing as surety for Mr Kanu, whom he signed a bail bond of N100 million to secure his bail.

Abaribe based his application on the grounds that “out of patriotic consideration of assisting the judicial process to defuse the tension generated in the polity and with full belief that Mr Nnamdi Kanu was carrying on his activities within the limits and confines of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, he offered to stand as surety for Mr Kanu.”

Recall, though, that Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako had, on October 17, ordered that Senator Abaribe and the other sureties to appear before her and proffer reasons why a bench warrant of arrest should not be issued against them following the failure of Nnamdi Kanu to appear in court.

Justice Murtala-Nyako also stated that Abaribe can only be excused if he produced Mr Kanu or be to ready to forfeit the 100 million naira bail bond.

Consequently, Abaribe, through his legal counsel, filed an application in court today requesting that the court compel the Chief of Army Staff [COAS], Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai to either produce Kanu, or pay the bail bond attached to his release.

The senator representing Abia South Senatorial District made the request based on the invasion of the IPOB leader’s home by men of the Nigeria Army after which Kanu was reportedly killed.

Other reports, however, stated that Kanu simply disappeared into thin air and that no one can give accounts of his whereabouts.

Abaribe is also asking the court to order the COAS to offset all expenses he incurred in the cause of Nnamdi Kanu’s trial.

He also demanded an order for payment of damages to the tune of 10 million Naira to him for the psychological trauma which he says he went through, following the extra-judicial actions of the Army.

The lawmaker noted that all attempts and efforts by him to contact Mr Kanu by whatever means had failed completely and that nobody except the Army can give account of his whereabouts, hence the application.

—