The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on Tuesday, kept mum over the re-arrest and re-arraignment of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
When contacted, National Publicity Secretary of the group led by George Obiozor, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, declined comments on matter.
“No reaction, good afternoon,” Ogbonnia told our correspondent in a telephone chat.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, announced the arrest of the IPOB leader on Tuesday afternoon.
Malami said Kanu was arrested on Sunday and extradited to Nigeria but the AGF did not give details of where and how the fleeing IPOB leader was captured.
The AGF accused Kanu of instigating violence in the South-East geopolitical zone using various social media platforms.
Kanu was subsequently brought before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday where the judge ordered an accelerated hearing in the matter.
Before he jumped bail in 2017, Kanu was facing 11 charges including terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods.
The case has been scheduled for July 26 and July 27 2021 for resumption of trial while Kanu has been remanded with the Department of State Services.
For years, Kanu had a running battle with the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, over his quest for the secession of the South-East geopolitical zone.
The Buhari regime had in September 2017 outlawed IPOB and declared that the activities of the group constituted an act of terrorism and illegality.
Before then, Kanu was arrested and jailed but released from the Kuje Prison in Abuja after meeting bail conditions. The IPOB leader later jumped bail and fled the country and operated from overseas before he was reportedly captured on Sunday.
Buhari recently described IPOB as a dot in a circle, saying the separatist movement has nowhere to go.
Kanu had formed the Eastern Security Network but the security outfit does not have the backing of the governors in the South-East.
The police have also accused IPOB’s ESN operatives of being the masterminds of attacks on police stations, prisons and symbols of democracy in the zone but Kanu had denied the allegations.
Credit: Punch