Bench warrant means nothing to me – Nnamdi Kanu

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu,  has described the bench warrant against him by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, as “a mere  academic exercise”.

He  also said the  Federal  Government could not  incite the world against him.

In a  statement obtained by our correspondent in Awka, Anambra State,  the IPOB leader said,  “The international and diplomatic community would surely ignore the bench warrant.

“I  remain eternally grateful to my sureties for standing by me all through my travails, trials and tribulations.

 “It smacks of judicial persecution for Justice Binta Nyako handling my case to claim that my sureties had withdrawn their surety.

“Justice Binta Nyako’s bench warrant against me makes the judiciary complicit in the persecution of innocent people and IPOB since mid 2015.

 “Where a case is for hearing of motion, the trial judge must hear the motion and adjourn for any other process.  On  no account should  they  hear a motion and hear the merits of the matter, not to talk about delivering judgment. The judge  may consider doing that in the very rare circumstance of consent by parties

“When a matter has been adjourned for a particular purpose, it is my view that the business of the court on the day the matter is adjourned is the purpose for which it was adjourned.

“It is expected that parties have come prepared for that purpose for which the matter was adjourned. If it is expedient to change the purpose, it cannot be done by the court suo motu (on its own)  as the parties must agree.”

He said in March last year a continental human rights court restrained the FG from persecuting  of members of IPOB, regretting that the government  had yet to obey the  order.

Kanu said, “The arrest, detention and murder of IPOB family members is illegal, unconstitutional and in breach of the written laws of Nigeria. The fact that judges and supposed legal practitioners allow this travesty to continue is indicative of the level of ignorance that pervades the Nigerian judiciary.”

Kanu, who is facing trial alongside other IPOB members  over  alleged treason, has not appeared in court  months after  he was granted  bail.

Justice Nyako  revoked the bail granted Kanu in 2017and   issued an arrest warrant against him, citing  his  continued absence  from  court