Court Gives Nnamdi Kanu’s Sureties Ultimatum To Produce Him In Court

IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu (File Photo)

The federal high court, Abuja, has at its sitting on Wednesday, given the sureties of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, up till June 26 to produce him in court or risk jail terms.

Enyinaya Abaribe, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator from Abia state, Immanuel El-Shalom, a Jewish high priest, and Tochukwu Uchendu, a chartered accountant, stood surety for Nnamdi Kanu as part of his bail conditions.

Binta Nyako, the trial judge, in a brief judgement ordered the sureties to produce Nnamdi Kanu in court or forfeit their N100 million bail bond.

The Judge also gave the alternative of a jail term for the sureties should they fail to produce the IPOB leader.

Earlier at the resumed hearing, counsel to the sureties observed that the court order had not been served to his clients to enable them to prepare their defence.

Chukwuma Umeh, counsel to Abaribe, said in the spirit of fair hearing as enshrined in section 36 of the 1999 constitution, the sureties should be served the court order.

“I apply that the proper thing be done, that is for a summon to be issued and served on the sureties for them to show cause why their bail bond should not be forfeited,” he said.

“The prosecution ought to have taken further steps to obtain an enroll order and serve on them. This is because a court order that is not served cannot be used against the sureties as it is not binding on them until it is served.”

The prosecuting counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, had argued that the business of the day was for the sureties to show cause why they should not forfeit their bail bond, urging the court to proceed.

The presiding Judge after listening to both parties, adjourned the matter till June 26.

Naija News reports that the whereabouts of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has remained unknown since a military invasion of his Abia state country home in 2017.