Why Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB Leader, Hired Another New Senior Counsel

By Adesina Soyooye

Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has hired a new Lawyer.

To join his team of Lawyers is a Senior Lawyer, Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh, SAN.

In the past two months, Umeh will be the second senior Lawyer to join Kanu’s team. The first was Dr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN. Before then, Nigerians were used to Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and Barr. Alloy Ejimakor, IPOB/Kanu’s Special Counsel.

IPOB sources say the new entrant is to help strengthen  Kanu’s legal team.

However, inside sources say it is because Kanu now appreciates the seriousness of the case at hand and does not want “to take chances.”

Said one of the sources: “Kanu seems to have realized that the case the Federal Government has woven against him is beyond threats, and sit-at-home orders by IPOB.

“Truth is that the Federal Government does not care if IPOB locks down the South-east for 10 years. The FG says it is their business if they choose to inflict hardship on their people. It is prepared to follow the case till the end on points of law.”

However, not a few people and groups have faulted the FG’s stance insisting that Kanu’s case can only be resolved politically.

A few days ago, Southern and Middle Belt leaders, at a meeting in Abuja, asked for the unconditional release of Kanu. They noted that it is unfair and discriminatory and unjust to lock and prosecute Kanu while muderous and blood thirsty terrorists- Boko Haram and Bandits- are being pampared and feted in Government Houses.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo had, also, called, on a number of times, for the unconditional release of the IPOB Leader.

Kanu is being prosecuted by the Federal Government, which has kept him in custody since June 2021 when he was renditions, according to his Lawyers, from Nairobi, Kenya, at a Federal High Court, Abuja, for sundry issues including alleged treasonable felony and terrorism.

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, another Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed his application to have the Director General of the Department of State Services, appear in person, in Court, to give evidence on a fundamental rights case he filed against the Federal Government and its agents.