•Appeal to Ndigbo not to abandon IPOB leader

• As Malami slams Canadian Justice Minister, Madu, calls him empty vessel

By Levinus Nwabughiogu &  Ikechukwu Nnochiri

Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged the federal government to address the issues causing agitations in the South East part of the country.

The group said that giving attention to the issues of marginalization and political appointments would douse tensions in the zone.

In a statement signed by its President-General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and the Secretary-General, Comrade Obinna Achuonye and made available to Vanguard yesterday, OYC said that the arrest and detention of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu would not stop the agitation for equity, asking the government not to jubilate.

It encouraged the government to go after the bandits terrorizing the country with the zeal it went after Kanu and Sunday Igboho, reminding government  that criminal have forced Kaduna State government to shut down schools.

OYC said it took time to react to Kanu’s arrest because it needed to gauge the pulse of the people, advising that the government should use this opportunity to address the various issues fueling the agitations.

The group also appealed to Igbo leaders not to abandon Kanu to his ordeal.

The statement read : “It is no longer news that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has been taken into custody by the Nigerian government after he was arrested in Kenya.

“We have also seen how the government is gloating over his arrest, as though it is a millennial achievement. In any case, if the government will care to listen, we advise once more that it should leverage on Kanu’s arrest to dialogue with the IPOB and other agitating groups.

“The Federal Government should look at what brought about the agitation in the first place; if you end up treating just symptoms of a sickness, the ailment will still be there. Ndigbo have never suffered this level of marginalization in Nigeria- total exclusion, total abandonment.

“So, the FG should douse the current tension and agitations in the South-East by giving the region a sense of belonging, what is due for them, including Igbo presidency in 2023.

“May we also tell the government to utilize the same energy to arrest bandits terrorizing the North and the rampaging herdsmen ravaging Southern Nigeria. As we speak, some schools in Kaduna State have been shut down, with hundreds of school  children under the captivity of the bandits, but the government is busy looking for Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho.

“The government must try to be civilized in its approach, not the kind of gestapo system used in invading Sunday Igboho’s house, we are not in a banana republic.

“Nnamdi Kanu should also be granted access to his family, medical doctor, lawyer and associates. He is still presumed innocent until proven guilty and for that, he should be given a fair trial.”

While thanking Igbo and Yoruba youths for remaining calm, the OYC pleaded with Igbo leaders not to abandon Nnamdi Kanu.

“The IPOB leader should not be abandoned to his fate; we know that he abused so many Igbo leaders in his utterances, but you don’t throw away the baby with the bathwater,” the statement added.

Malami slams Canadian Justice Minister, Madu

In another development, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, has tackled the Minister of Justice and Solicitor-General of the Government of Alberta, Canada, Kelechi Madu, for calling him a disgrace to the rule of law.

Malami, in a clapback yesterday, referred to Madu as an “ignoramus” whose views on the re-arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, “are eccentric and weird to the legal profession”.

READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu: Malami slams Canadian Justice Minister, Madu

In a statement signed by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, Malami, said it was “unfortunate for someone who claims to be a lawyer of a status of a Solicitor General of a provincial State of Alberta in Canada”, to fault “the internationally recognized manner”, through which Kanu was re-arrested and brought back to the country to face trial.

Malami branded the Canadian Justice Minister as a failure that moved out of Nigeria after he could not excel, saying he “failed to keep himself acquainted with the provisions of general laws of the country where he stays as well as international laws”.

The statement, titled; ‘Nnamdi Kanu: Madu’s views ignoramus, legally eccentric’, read: “Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has described the ideas attributed to one Kelechi Madu as outrageously ignoramus opinions that are eccentric and weird to the legal profession.

“It is unfortunate for someone who claims to be a lawyer of a status of a Solicitor General of a provincial State of Alberta in Canada to fault the internationally recognized manner through which Nnamdi Kanu who jumped bail was re-arrested and brought back to face trial.

“It was abundantly clear that bench warrant was lawfully and judiciously procured through judicial process by a competent court of law, whose bail condition Nnamdi Kanu breached with impunity.

“There was no illegality in the entire process and the question of illegality does not even arise.

“It is a common principle of the law that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

“The self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has enjoyed representation by counsel of his choice all through the judicial process and was never denied a right of choice of counsel or recourse to one, even when he symbolizes a proscribed association (IPOB) in law, and in fact his association has been legally proscribed.

“Where was the so-called Madu when Nnamdi Kanu was inciting violence against the country? Why, as a lawyer, would Madu support a fugitive who jumped bail and accused of terrorism and treasonable felony? What stopped Madu from voicing out dissent on the atrocities of Kanu and his group?

“It is important to educate the likes of Kelechi Madu that both Nigeria (his country of birth) and Canada (where he claims to be practicing law) are signatories to the Multinational Treaty Agreement where, among others, fugitive fleeing justice in nations with similar agreement could be brought back to face justice.

“It is a pity that as a Solicitor General of a province, Madu failed to keep himself acquainted with the provisions of general laws of the country where he stays as well as international laws.

“We wish to draw the attention of Madu to the provisions of Consolidated Act Criminal Code under the Canadian Law R.S., C 1985, c. C-46:1-2 on Treason and other Offences vis: “46(1) Every one commits high treason who, in Canada: (a) Kills or attempts to kill Her Majesty or does her any bodily harm tending to death or destruction, maims or wounds her, or imprisons or restrains her, “(b) Levels war against Canada or does any act thereto; or “(C) Assist an enemy at war with Canada or any armed forces against whom Canadian Forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between Canada and the country whose forces they are. “46(2) Every one commits treason who, in Canada “(a) Use force or violence for the purpose of overthrowing the government of Canada or a province, “(b) Without lawful authority, communicates or makes available to an agent of a state other than Canada, military or scientific information or any sketch, plan, model, article, note or document of a military or scientific character that he knows or ought to know may be used by that state for a purpose prejudicial to the safety of defence of Canada. “(c) Conspires with any person to commit high treason or do anything mentioned in paragraph (a) “(d ) Forms an intention to do anything that is high treason or that is mentioned in paragraph (a) and manifest that intention by an overt act; or “(e) Conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in paragraph (b) or forms  an intention to do anything mentioned in paragraph (b) and manifests intention by and overt act. “As the saying goes “an empty vessel makes loudest noise”.

“We advise the so-called “learned man” to shelve his arrogance and learn to study the law books before opening his mouth to disgrace himself before the right thinking members of the society thereby attracting to himself, criticism that may propel doubt about his suitability for the job he claims to be doing now, after moving out of his country of origin in which he fails to excel”, Malami stated.

The Canadian Justice Minister had in a post on his LinkedIn page, said if reports that Kanu was abducted from Kenya were true, Malami was not only a disgrace to the rule of law but also not worthy to be a public officer.

Madu, who is also the Deputy Government House Leader, maintained that Nigeria and Kenya violated international law in the manner Kanu was extradited, even as he called on world leaders to apply appropriate sanctions.

While demanding Kanu’s release from detention, Madu, urged the Nigerian government to ensure his safety.

His post, read in part: “The Attorney-General of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, is a disgrace to the rule of law and not worthy to be an officer of the court.

“He has shown himself to be a bigot who does not understand what it means to live in a pluralistic society governed by the dictates of the rule of law”.

Vanguard News Nigeria