By Adadareporters
The lead counsel for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Barr Aloy Ejimakor, has reacted to the withdrawal of a terrorism charge against the president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Kore, Alhaji Bello Bodejo, by the federal government.
Adadareporters learnt that the embattled Alhaji Bodejo was discharged following the withdrawal of the terrorism charge preferred against him by the federal government.
Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, faces charges partaining to alleged terrorism and jumping bail. He was in 2023 discharged and acquitted by Nigeria’s Court of Appeals following the illegal manner he was renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021. FG failed to abide by the ruling, and approached the Supreme Court which agreed that Kanu was not properly renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria. The apex court however held that Kanu could be tried in Nigeria over the allegations preferred against him.
Following the withdrawal of the terrorism charge against Bodejo, signalling the end of his incarceration, Ejimakor wrote via his X: “News: FG drops terrorism charges against Miyetti Allah leader, Bello Bodejo, in the interest of #JUSTICE.
“Another News: FG refuses to drop charges against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the interest of #INJUSTICE. Ndigbo, ahoy!”
The withdrawal of Bodejo’s charge was effected on Wednesday through a Federal High Court, Abuja. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling, discharged Bodejo after the AGF’s counsel, Aderonke Imana, moved an oral application for the withdrawal of the three-count charge. Imana had informed the court that she had an oral application.
According to her, the application was pursuant to Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015. She further averred that the request was predicated on the power of the AGF under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Quoting her, “Consequently, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation has instructed me to withdraw this charge against the defendant in the interest of justice. That is our humble application my lord.”
Bodejo’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji, SAN, did not oppose the application. He thanked the AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for his “magnanimous gesture”.
In his words, “We urge your lordship to discharge the accused person under the sections referred to by the prosecutor.”
Meanwhile, Larry Oguego, coordinator, Human Rights Volunteer Corps, has said the refusal of the federal government to release Kanu is more political than legal.
According to him, “There is frustration among the Igbo in Nigeria. If it were in a civilised world, Kanu wouldn’t have continued been in detention following various court judgements in his favour as well as numerous human rights treaties that Nigeria is a signatory.
“We expect President Tinubu to find a political solution to it. President Tinubu shouldn’t toe the line of former President Muhammadu Buhari because Buhari had a different agenda.”
