The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday threatened to resume its campaign of civil disobedience across the country against the Nigerian government.
IPOB said the civil disobedience campaign will resume if an Abuja Federal High Court refuses to grant four persons held in custody, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawusi, Bright Chimezie Ishinwa, Chidiebere Onwudiwe bail.
Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawusi, Bright Chimezie Ishinwa, Chidiebere Onwudiwe were charged alongside IPOB’s elusive leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Barring any last minute change, the trial of the three accused persons will resume on Tuesday.
Reacting to their continued detention, IPOB urged all Igbos to join in its campaign to compel the Nigerian government into granting bail to their “brothers.”
In a statement issued by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, he stressed that such injustice could not be allowed to continue.
The statement reads, “We hereby place the judiciary of Nigeria and the world at large on notice that less than 24 hours to the commencement of trial of those charged with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as co-conspirators in a plot to overthrow the government of Major General Muhammadu Buhari are still to be served an amended charge as ordered by the presiding judge Justice Binta Nyako at the last hearing over 4 weeks ago.
“This flagrant disregard of a court ruling is nothing new to this administration but it is particularly disheartening when the defendants have been in detention without trial for upwards of 3 years. In no other supposed democratic country will such blatant state sanctioned detention without trial be tolerated only in Nigeria. Why is it that something as routine as filing of charges against those accused of having committed a crime, is proving difficult for the attorney general and DSS in this instance? Is it because the men are innocent and deserve unreserved apology from the government and their freedom or is it because the government have lost its way and can longer proceed with the sham trial.
“Information reaching us now has it that Justice Binta Nyako has concluded plans with the office Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to postpone the court case between Nigerian government and Biafrans still held illicitly in Kuje prison, thereby subjecting and exposing these innocent Biafrans to inhumane and degrading treatment.
“Let it be known that this case has been in court close to 3 years now and counting as a result of unwarranted adjournment after adjournment, so as to be able to scout for evidence against these Biafrans and to jail them unjustly.
“We must resist this unjust move against Benjamin Mmadubugwu, David Nwawusi, Bright Chimezie Ishinwa, and Chidiebere Onwudiwe. This inhuman and inhumane treatment against these innocent Biafrans is disheartening and must be put to a halt by all men and women of good conscience the world over. The court, it is said, is the last hope of the common man, but here in Nigeria, the case is different. Judiciary is now a tool used by Nigerian government to punish those that have different beliefs and ideology as well as those they see as opposition to their hegemony and interests.
“Self determination is enshrined in the United Nations Charter of rights of indigenous people and African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which was ratified by Nigerian government and domesticated into the laws of Nigeria.
“Therefore, it is within the legitimate right of IPOB to agitate for self determination using the same law as provided by United Nations and African Union which Nigeria is a signatory to.
“We hereby call on all people of good conscience and lovers of freedom, equity and justice and indeed all Biafrans around the world to stand up and resist this travesty of justice and the continued illegal detention of these our brothers for close to 3 years now.
“Either they release our brothers tomorrow unconditionally or we Biafrans will intensify our campaign of civil disobedience on the streets of Biafraland and beyond. We have truly endured this injustice for far too long and enough is enough. We shall not allow this to continue unchallenged.
“IPOB is calling on Biafrans worldwide to get ready because we must compel Nigerian government to free our brothers, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawusi, Bright Chimezie Ishinwa, Chidiebere Onwudiwe and provide our leader they abducted on the 14th of September 2017.
“The incessant adjournment of this court case must be put to a stop tomorrow.”
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