BY Fredrick Nwabufo
Binta Nyako, justice of the federal high court, has denied Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and three other accused persons bail.
Delivering a ruling on an application for bail filed by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu’s counsel, on Thursday, she held that the offences the defendants — Kanu, Benjamin Nmadubugwu, Chidiebere Onwudiwe and David Nwawusi — were charged with were not entirely bailable.
She said the charge of treasonable felony, which hands on the necks of the defendants, attracts a life sentence.
Nyako, therefore, denied them bail on the grounds that their case was sensitive to national security.
On the argument of Kanu’s counsel that President Muhammadu Buhari made a statement on national TV tacitly declaring the IPOB leader guilty of the offence, she said: “The president has freedom of speech; he can express his opinion on any matter.”
Nyako is third judge to handle Kanu’s trial after two other judges withdrew from the case.
John Tsoho, the second judge to withdraw from the trial after Ahmed Mohammed, had denied Kanu bail, remanding him in Kuje prison where he has been for months.
In October 2015, a magistrate court discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges of terrorism, but the Department of States Services (DSS), kept him in detention.
Also, in December 2015, Adeniyi Ademola, justice of the federal high court, granted Kanu unconditional bail, but the DSS refused to release him.
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