From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, said he never denied being the leader of the separatist group while taking his plea before Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court on Wednesday.
Kanu who spoke through his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, clarifid that he only denied that IPOB was not terrorism organization.
According to a satement by Ejiofor, the clarification became necessary because of what he described as “deliberate misrepresentation/falsehood and wrong narratives being perpetuated by some mischief makers” and gaining prominence in social media.
Ejiofor said this in a statement on Thursday titled, “Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu never denied being the leader of IPOB – Let the records be set straight”.
According to him, it was pertinent to provide clarification and clear the doubt.
He said, “S.M. Labaran Esq, who stood in yesterday (Wednesday) for the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation is a colleague I hold in high esteem, but I shall resist every mischievous ploy being adopted to misinform the unsuspecting members of the public who were not privy to the details of the proceedings in court yesterday, with a wrong and mischievous interpretation of the purport of the plea taken by our indefatigable client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“For the records, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu never denied being the leader of IPOB while taking his plea, but only stoutly denied the fact that IPOB is a terrorist organisation and that being its leader is an offence, which position is well informed.
“Members of the public should be well guided that the status of the black market order proscribing IPOB is a subject of Appeal in Appeal Number: Appeal No. CA/A/214/2018, pending before the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.
That being said, it is only laughable that the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in their desperate but futile attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it, brought a charge bordering on the status of IPOB, a subject matter of a competent Appeal, where issues have been joined with the same FGN.
“Therefore, be properly guided UmuChineke, because we have sufficiently addressed the emptiness of that count an entire charge in our compelling submissions before the Court, now adjourned to be heard on February 16, 2022.
“We do not wish to dwell further on this subject, but be rightly informed that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu never denied being the leader of IPOB while taking his plea yesterday.”