Kinsman of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Ugochukwu Kenneth, has asked Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to order the British High Commission and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to arrest and repatriate him (Kanu), from the United Kingdom, to Nigeria, to stand trial.
In an October 4, 2017, suit, which was filed on October 5, Kenneth asked the court for an order directing the Attorney-General of the Federation to advise President Muhammadu Buhari, to declare the British High Commission as persona non grata, for alleged complicity in facilitating and harbouring a fugitive from justice in her territory being the United Kingdom.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/9300/17 and filed by his lawyers, Obor John and Tersagh Uganda, Kenneth asked the court to determine whether by a true interpretation of sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 the first and second defendants have not abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to prevent and arrest Kanu, who is standing trial for treason and terrorism in Nigeria from illegally travelling to the UK.
He also asked the court to determine whether the Commission is not under obligation to repatriate Kanu –a fugitive from justice-irrespective of him holding dual nationality of Nigeria and the UK, back to Nigeria to stand trial for the offences of treason and terrorism pursuant to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and the United Nations Convention on Terrorism.
The plaintiff prayed the court for: A declaration that by a true interpretation of sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and section 2 (1) of the Immigration Act, 2015, the first and second defendants have abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to prevent and arrest Kanu, who is standing trial for treason in Nigeria from illegally travelling to the UK and remaining as a fugitive from justice in the UK.
In an affidavit in support of the suit, he said Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, Tochukwu Uchendu and Immanuel Oka-Ben Madu perfected the bail bond which facilitated Kanu’s release. The case has been assigned to Justice John Tsoho and will come up on October 12, 2017.
