17th October, 2017
Senator Eyninnaya Abaribe who stood as surety for Nnamdi Kanu, the missing leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is in trouble over his inability to produce Kanu in court.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered Senator Abaribe, and two others standing as sureties for the IPOB leader, to produce him in court or risk jail term or forfeit their N300m bail bond.
Daily Trust reports that Kanu was absent at the Court as the treason case against him began on Tuesday.
However, co-defendants: Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi were in court for the trial.
Kanu was granted bail by the judge on April 24, 2017.
A lawyer, Mr. Ogechi Ogunna, who appeared for Abaribe, informed the judge that his client had filed a motion seeking to be discharged as Kanu’s surety.
The two other sureties, Immanuel Shalum Okabenmabu and Tochukwu Uchendu, were absent from court and not represented by any lawyer.
But Justice Nyako said Abaribe’s motion could not be heard until Kanu was produced in court.
The judge gave the senator three options.
She asked Abaribe to produce the defendant in court and then apply to be discharged as a surety.
She also gave Abaribe the option to forfeit his N100m bail bond.
The third option was for Abaribe to request to be given time to produce the defendant in court.
Earlier, prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran urged the judge to revoke defendant’s bail, order for his arrest, and direct the defendants’ three sureties “to show cause why the bail bond of N100m entered into by each shall not be forfeited or they be committed to prison.”
Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, told the judge that Kanu had been missing after soldiers invaded the IPOB leader’s home on September 14, 2017, adding that the Nigerian Army was in the best position to produce him in court.
The trial has been adjourned until November 20.