TheCable

The federal high court in Abuja has granted an order for the Department of State Services (DSS) to remand Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), till July 26.

The court granted the order on Tuesday morning when Kanu was re-arraigned on charges bordering on alleged treason.

Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, said he is to be remanded in DSS custody pending the continuation of his trial.

Kanu appeared in court without any member of his defense team.

Maxwell Okpara, his lawyer, told TheCable at the court premises that he was not aware of the moment the defendant was arraigned.

Shuaibu Labaran, the federal government’s counsel, told the court that Kanu, was arrested because he jumped bail.

Labaran said that having produced Kanu, the court should allow the DSS to detain him, a request which Nyako granted and adjourned the trial till July 26.

Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.

He had been granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons but skipped bail after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.

He later left Nigeria after soldiers raided his father’s residence in Abia state in November 2017.

IPOB was subsequently declared a terrorist group by the defence headquarters and court after the south-east governors proscribed it.

Despite the court’s insistence on his appearance, the IPOB leader had remained abroad, and once said he jumped bail to pursue the cause of Biafra.