Pro-Biafra protest: IPOB drags FG to court

Demands compensation for deceased and injured members

INDIGENOUS People of Biafra (IPOB) has dragged the Federal Government and seven others to court seeking compensation for members who were either killed or injured by security operatives during the pro- Biafra protests in some cities in the South East recently.

Represented by the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, the pro- Biafra group is demanding N100 million for families of each of the nine IPOB members who were killed and N50 million for each of the 18 injured ones during protests which took place on October 20 and December 2, in Onitsha, Anambra State, in Owerri, Imo State and in Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states respectively.

Joined in the suit are the President; Attorney-General of the Federation; the National Assembly; Chief of Army Staff; Inspector General of Police, Commissioners of Police in Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states; Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Director-General, State Security Service.

In the Motion on Notice filed before a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, the group also sought the order of the court to declare the onslaught against IPOB members by security agencies as a crime against humanity, unlawful, cruel, inhuman and a violation of their rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of association and right to self determination.

According to IPOB, the action of the security agencies ran contrary to the provisions of sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 1, IV, XIX and XX of the African Charter on Human Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.

In the suit marked; FHC/ ABJ/1S/1035/2015, filed by their lawyers, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Co, the Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International also urged the court for an order ‘granting the unconditional and immediate release of members of IPOB who are in detention in prisons, police and Army custody and further restrain respondents from further harassment of the applicants who are peacefully and non-violently exercising their rights to self-determination, freedom of association and expression.”

Nnamdi Kanu knows fate on bail tomorrow
 
By Charles Adegbite, Aloysius Attah, Onitsha, Chuks Onuoha –Umuahia
Director of Radio Biafra and leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Danile Kanu, will, tomorrow know whether he would be admitted to bail or not.

He has been in detention with the Department of State Security (DSS) in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT),Abuja,since October.

A Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Ademola Adeniyi Adetokunbo, will rule on Kanu’s bail application tomorrow.

Justice Adetokunbo heard the bail application on Monday and adjourned ruling till Thursday.
Meanwhile, there is apprehension among Onitsha residents engaged in panic buying even as security agents were seen on major roads in the city just as members of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) expressed support for non-violent protests.

Speaking to newsmen in Onitsha, Regional leader of BIM in charge of Anambra South Region, Chief Arinze Igbani said Uwazuruike’s position cannot be surrendered to people who broke away from the original plan for the actualisation of Biafra for their selfish purposes, adding that BIM’s non-violent approach remains the best option towards the realisation of Biafra.

He said the position of Uwazuruike and BIM on the ongoing struggle was clear by his insistence on government to release Kanu, Ben Onwuka and others who are in detention.

The police would have none of it though. Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9, Mr. Usman Gwary warned members of IPOB, Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and BIM not to cross the red line by blocking public highways

source: (sunnewsonline)