IPOB accuses FG of stalling Kanu's trial as case file went 'MISSING'

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the Federal Government, Department of State Services (DSS) and Attorney General of Nigeria Federation of frustrating the trial of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu on purpose.

The hearing on Kanu's appeal which was scheduled to hold on Monday, April 25, 2016, was shifted to May 5, after a three-man panel of justices found out that the case was not listed on the court’s case list.

According to a statement issued by the group's spokesman, Mr Emma Powerful, in Onitsha, Anambra State on Monday, April 25, the DSS, Attorney General and the Judiciary have all ganged up to play hide and seek game with Kanu’s trial, to they can continue to imprison him.

The statement read: “The Nigerian Federal Government and its agents have deliberately refused to come to court for the case. They have refused to respect court orders and do not honour court date, and we are wondering why Mr. Kanu is still being held, since, they are not ready to continue the trial which will expose the emptiness of the present APC led Federal Government.

“We want to let the present government of Muhammadu Buhari to know that no amount of frustration will make Mr. Kanu to stop the struggle. The present Nigeria government, Attorney General of the Nigerian Federation and the Federal Court of Appeal Judges who have hand in the frustrating activities to continue the trial will be disgraced at the end of the day. No plan by the occupier of Aso Rock in sabotaging the efforts of our leader to excise his fundamental rights at the Federal Court of Appeal, Abuja will be successful.

“The hide and seek game of the APC led Federal Government, Attorney General of the Nigerian Federation and the DSS, through the Judiciary, the Federal Court of Appeal and their Judges who connived in the evil plan to frustrate Mr Kanu will fail. All their plans will come to naught and at the end. Mazi Kanu and IPOB will laugh last.”

Powerful further said: “Mr Kanu filed a suit challenging his illegal detention in Kuje prison and the court of appeal Judge fixed 25th April 2016 for hearing, only the Judge to disappear while the lawyers and masses were in the court waiting for him to come and preside over the matter assigned to him, that act is part of the plan to frustrate Mr. Kanu.

“IPOB worldwide regrets that the Judiciary is not free in Nigeria, and we will not hesitate to conclude that the judiciary is carrying out the order of their master in Aso Rock, not to attend to the court, because their master is not satisfied with the way his secret agents have not come up with the evidence to nail Mazi Kanu.

“It is however, a well known fact to the world that Mazi Kanu, the leader of IPOB did not commit any crime in Nigeria or the world at large. Nevertheless, we want to let the world know the mess the judiciary is into in Nigeria and how the present APC government is using the judiciary to delay the release of our leader.”

The three-man panel of Justices of the Appeal court sitting in Abuja, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, had adjourned hearing on the appeal that was lodged by Kanu till May 5, after it discovered that it was not listed for hearing in the court’s case list.

Kanu's lawyer, Chief Chuks Muoma, SAN, however insisted that it was the appellate court itself that originally fixed April 25 to hear the matter.

Justice Aboki promised the court would look into the matter on the next adjourned date.