By Bola Adeyemi
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South, one of the prominent persons who stood surety for the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu to be granted bail, has written to the Nigerian High Commissioner to Israel, His Excellency Enoch Duchi, seeking to confirm if Kanu is actually in Israel.
The lawmaker wrote Israeli Embassy through his lawyer, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN.
It would be recalled that Kanu is being tried for treasonable offences in the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
Abaribe’s lawyer in the letter stated that it became necessary to write to the Ambassador to confirm that Kanu was actually in Israel in view of the story circulating on the social and online media that Nnamdl Kanu was sighted at the Wailing Wall during a prayer session in Israel.
Part of the letter states: “We are the counsel to Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Abia South Senatorial Zone in the 8th Senate of National Assembly of Nigeria.
“As a pronounced patriot, he recently, against all odds, put life into our constitutional provision of the liberty of an accused as well as eased tension in our polity by standing surety to Nnamdi Kanu (who is on trial on allegations of treasonable offences in CHARGE No. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.)
“In fact, to situate you properly into the salient realities involved in this national tragedy, the Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
“On 28th April 2017, the Hon trial Court granted him bail on medical grounds and Sen. Abaribe was one of the three sureties who executed the bail bond for his release.
“Your Excellency would recall that sometimes in 2017, the Nigerian Army High Command announced publicly that they were going to commence a military operation code-named “OPERATION PYTHON DANCE “(EGWU EKE) 11 in the whole of the South East Zone of Nigeria from 15th of September to 14th of October 2017.”
The letter further stated that, “Curiously, selectively and tragically, from 11” to 14″ September 2017, well before the announced scheduled dates, the Nigerian Army, with truck loads of heavily armed soldiers, armoured tanks and other intimidating offensive military weapons, embarked on massive military operation exclusively at the Nnamdi Kanu’s town, lsiama, Afaraukwu lbeku Umuahia, Abia State and at his residence (the PALACE of HRH EZE ISREAL KANU) where at the material time of the tragic invasion, he was staying with his royal parents.
“There and then as the invading Army left, the Nnamdl Kanu along with his parents were never seen or heard from again till today.
“This explains his absence from his trial since that time till now.
“Your Excellency, already before the Hon. trial Court is an Affidavit deposed to on 17th November, 2017 to the effect that:
i)This fatal military invasion of town and residence of the Nnamdl Knnu climaxing on 14th of September 201 7 resulted in high casualties as corpse’s littered all over the vicinity including In the PALACE.
- ii) The Nnamdi Kanu and his parents were In the PALACE at the time of the tragic invasion of the town and PALACE.
iii) During the invasion, the Nnamdi Kanu and his parents were never again seen or heard from either privately or publicly till date.
iv)The Nnamdi Kanu and his parents were allegedly whisked off by the invading soldiers.
“The Hon. Court had now ordered each of the three sureties to show cause why each would not forfeit the respective bail bond of one hundred million naira (N100, 000, 000:00) or go to prison for their alleged failure to produce the Nnamdl Kanu for the on-going trial.
“Your Excellency, in the midst of this quagmire, our attention has been drawn to ongoing news making rounds on the social and online media to the effect that an Nnamdl Kanu was sighted at the Wailing Wall during a prayer session in Israel.
“In view of this, we humbly request your Excellency to use your good office to painstakingly inquire from the Government of Israel as follows:
- a) If there is any Nnamdi Kanu, a Nigerian citizen in their country, Israel?
- b) Where there is, is that person the same as the Nnamdi Kanu standing trial in CHARGE No. FHC/ABI/CR/383/2015 and that was never seen again during the tragic military invasion of his home on 14″ of September 2017.
- c) If the Nnamdl Kanu that was never seen again during the tragic military invasion of his home is the one in Israel, please find out from the government of Israel how he arrived there and the circumstances that led to that? What of his royal parents?
(I) Finally, Your Excellency, where there is an Nnamdl Kanu in Israel, as the Law Firm representing Senator Abaribe, we are ready to assist you in a necessary DNA procedure to enable you verify whether the alleged Nnamdl Kanu said to be in Israel is same as the Nnamdl Kanu standing trial In CHARGE No. FHC/ABI/CR/383/2015.
“As citizens and or counsel, we all have the duty to assist our courts with the truth and the established facts.
“We therefore urge Your Excellency to, under oath, verify your findings as per A to D above and to the effect that they are from the Government of Israel.
“This is because I will be submitting them on the Nnamdi Kanu to the Hon. Court.
“We look forward to hearing from your Excellency soonest.”