Court asked to use anti-terrorism law to extradite Kanu from UK

IPOB’s leader Nnamdi Kanu risks arrest and extradition from the UK in 21 days if an Abuja Federal High Court eventually grants a payer before it.

The plaintiff made the appeal in a suit filed by his counsel, Abiodun Sodiq, yesterday.

He also joined the British High Commission in Nigeria, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively in the case.

In the suit, Donald Okonkwo urged the court to determine the following issues:

Whether the 1st Defendant is not under obligation to repatriate the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, being a fugitive cum terrorist from the Great Britain where he has been hiding since September, 2017 under the cover of his citizenship status back to Nigeria so he can stand his trial for treasonable felony, amongst other sundry offences, pending against him before Honourable Justice (Mrs.) Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja?

Whether by a true interpretation of Sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 the 2nd Defendant has not abdicated his duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to arrest and extradite the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from the Great Britain back to Nigeria so he can stand his trial for treasonable felony, amongst other sundry offences, considering the Bench Warrant issued on 28th March, 2019 by Honourable Justice (Mrs.) Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja for the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu after it was determined that he flouted his bail conditions?

Whether the 3rd Defendant, as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation is not under a statutory duty to advise the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to severe diplomatic relations with the 1st Defendant for harbouring Mazi Nnamdi Kanu being a fugitive cum terrorist in the Great Britain and whether the failure of the 3rd Defendant does not amount to abdication of his duties under the of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013?

He prayed the court to declare that the 2nd respondent “abdicated his duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to arrest and extradite the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from the Great Britain back to Nigeria so he can stand his trial for treasonable felony, amongst other sundry offences.”

Okonkwo urged the court to order that the AGF is under a statutory duty to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to severe diplomatic ties with the British high commission in Nigeria ”for harbouring Mazi Nnamdi Kanu being a fugitive cum terrorist”.

The plaintiff also asked the court to order the 1st defendant “to tender public apology to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 3 (Three) national dailies within 21 (Twenty One) days from the date of delivery of judgment in this suit for her complicity in facilitating the escape from justice and harbouring of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the Great Britain, thereby allowing him to cause innocent Nigerian citizens serious emotional trauma through the instrumentality of incessant threat of violence, breach of peace and overthrow of the legitimate government in Nigeria.

Kanu has been claiming responsibilities for incitement and attack against Nigerian leaders travelling abroad. Former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, was molested weeks ago in Nuremberg, Germany, by IPOB members

The group also threatened to arrest President Muhammadu Buhari who is in Japan currently.

He fled Nigeria for UK during a raid on his Abia residence by security operatives in September 2017.

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