Judge adjourns Kanu’s case, warns against delay

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned till May 22 a lawsuit filed by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra,  Nnamdi Kanu, against the Department of State Services.

In the suit filed through Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Kanu is seeking an order compelling the DSS to allow him have access to his physician.

Justice Binta Nyako warned against delay in the case on Wednesday following an oral application by DSS counsel, Idowu Awo, praying for more time to respond to a further affidavit served on him by Ozekhome.

The court had on February 1, granted Kanu the permission to apply for an order of mandamus he sought after an ex parte motion moved by Ozekhome.

But the DSS filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.

On resumed hearing, Ozekhome informed the court that he had responded to the DSS notice of preliminary objection.

In response, the DSS lawyer said he needed time to study the document to ascertain whether fresh facts had been raised.

While adjourning the case till May 22,  Justice Nyako warned that she would not tolerate any act that might further delay proceedings.

“There must be an end to the exchange of processes,” she said.

Meanwhile, IPOB, in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, slammed  Arewa Community in Southern Nigeria for opposing the call for Kanu’s unconditional release.

The Arewa group had taken the position in a statement by its leader, Musa Saidu, on Tuesday, in Abuja.

But reacting, IPOB’s spokesman said, “We, the global family of IPOB, condemn the unguarded statements credited to the so-called Southern Arewa forum against the unconditional release of Kanu.

“It is obvious that the mushroom Arewa group is displaying their ignorance and cluelessness to the public.

“They forgot that Nnamdi Kanu’s case is in the hands of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to decide, not theirs. It’s unfortunate that we were forced into unity with people who don’t subscribe to the rule of law. These people have dragged the reputation of Nigeria through the mud.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is perpetuating illegality, which will not go on forever without consequences.”

The Supreme Court of Nigeria, being a constitutional court, has powers to uphold not only Nigerian laws but international laws, too.

“Kanu’s case presents a global opportunity for the Nigeria Supreme Court to either redeem or ruin her image and the image of their so-called country they serve. The unnecessary hatred from the clueless Arewa group against IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and their media barking cannot stop the rule of law from taking it’s place.

“We are using this medium to correct the Arewa group and let them understand that they are not in charge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as in the manner they speak. They are today seeing themselves as demy gods in this contraption called Nigeria.”