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Kanu: Standing of surety needless, IPOB tells Soludo
The Indigenous People of Biafra has hailed the recent call by the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo for the unconditional release of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021.
The pro-Biafran group said while they welcome the development, they noted that the issue of granting of bail or standing surety does not arise at this time because the Federal Government has breached the order of a superior court of competent jurisdiction.
The group emphasised that Kanu had been discharged on October 13, 2022, by the court of appeal and do not have any need for surety because there is no charge hanging on him as of today.
They stated these in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Monday.
It stated, “We have gone beyond the issue of surety or no surety, every genuine call and demand in the prevailing circumstance should be firmly directed at calling out on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately obey the order for the unconditional release of Kanu made by its own court.
“Though the said call for the unconditional release of our leader is belatedly coming three months and one day, after the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division, in its erudite judgement delivered on October 13, 2022, discharged and acquitted the leader of IPOB and all the remaining eight-count amended charges preferred against him, and consequently directed for his unconditional release.
“The landmark judgment further prohibited the Federal Government from further detaining our leader or even presenting him for trial on any indictment or offence whatsoever before any court in Nigeria.
“It is important therefore, to clarify that our leader has no form of indictment or even charge pending against him today before any court by the authority of this judgement.
“The issue of granting bail or otherwise does not arise by any stretch of consideration or imagination, because it is the Federal Government that is today in breach of this order of superior court of competent jurisdiction.
“May we also remind Governor Soludo and others, that Kanu’s current incarceration is not sanctioned by any law known to man, it is unconstitutional and affront to constitutional democracy and rule of law.
“Further to the above, is the fact that Kanu has no case to answer again, therefore, the need for surety does not arise, instead Soludo should gear all his efforts towards persuading and compelling on the lawless rulers of Nigeria to obey their own law.
“It is to be pointed out further, that this kind of plea is the reason why the rulers of Nigeria have no regard for the rule of law, why should we be pleading with them to obey their own court orders directing for the unconditional release of Kanu? It’s compelling and mandatory on their part to obey their own court orders.
“Federal Government is today in grave contempt of the orders of court of its own court, and their appeal before the Supreme Court can not justify the present illegal incarceration of our leader in a solitary confinement in DSS.”
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Installation of e-gates at airports is to enhance national security – Minister
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo says the installation of e-gates at the five international airports in the country will enhance national security.
He also said it would ensure seamless processing of passengers coming into and going out of the country.
The minister made the remarks on Friday when he inspected the newly installed e-gates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo said that from the preliminary test conducted, it will take less than 30 seconds to process passengers with valid passports, thus reducing the delays and inconveniences hitherto faced by passengers.
He said about 21 e-gates would be installed at Lagos airport by the end of April, while those in Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu would be ready by the third week of May.
“Having tested it on various scenarios, we saw that a Nigerian carrying a valid passport will only take less than 30 seconds to be checked in, which I think is a record time.
“We have also tested it with people carrying other people’s passport, and we saw that it is practically impossible for people to use another person’s passport to gain entrance into the country unlike in the past.
“With what we have also seen, it is practically impossible to enter into the country with an expired passport,“ he added.
According to him, the scanners will enhance the nation’s security architecture and enable immigration officials to work seamlessly.
The minister thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support towards making the project a reality.
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