A coalition of civil society groups has condemned what it described as “excessive and very stringent” conditions attached to the bail granted to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Wednesday granted the IPOB leader bail on health ground subject to the condition that he must not hold rallies, he must not grant interviews, he must not be in a crowd of more than 10 people, and he must provide three sureties in the sum of N100 million each; one of who must be must be a highly placed person of Igbo extraction such as a senator, the other who must be a highly respected Jewish leader since Mr Kanu said his religion is Judaism, and the third who must be a highly respected person who owns landed property and is resident in Abuja.

Reacting to the conditions, the coalition of civil society groups comprising of Centre for Social Justice, Save Nigeria Group, Lawyers of Conscience, Kindgom Human Rights Foundation, Civil Liberties Organisation, Peoples Rights Organisation, Campaign for Democracy, and Access to Rights Initiative in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday notes that the bail conditions amount to a denial of bail.

“The first condition that Mr. Kanu must not be in a crowd of more than ten persons is an impossible condition to fulfill. The implication is that he can no longer go to a church or a place of worship, market place, restaurant, etc. He will violate this condition if his immediate nuclear and extended families who will welcome him number more than ten. This will likely happen as he is stepping out of the prison yard. Pray, what purpose does this condition serve?”

The statement reads.

“Asking for a surety who is a senior and highly placed Igbo person such as a senator begs the question. Why must the surety be of Igbo ethnic nationality? Under what law or which section of the constitution did the judge derive the authorisation for this? When did the ethnic origin of an accused person or surety become relevant for the accused being admitted to bail?”

The coalition queries.

“Thus, in the event Mr. Kanu finds Nigerians that are not of Igbo ethnic extraction as sureties, they would therefore not qualify. And if Mr. Kanu cannot get a senator to stand surety for him, he will not be allowed to go and attend to his health? How many senators, in these days of the anti-corruption drive will agree to post a bail bond for N100 million without making themselves vulnerable to being pulled over by the anti-corruption agencies?

” It therefore seems that in restricting one of the sureties to be a senator of Igbo ethnic nationality, Mr. Kanu has contrary to section 42 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), been subjected in the practical application of the law to disabilities and restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups and places of origin are not made subject to. There is no precedent for this aspect of the ruling.”

The statement reads further.

The group also condemns the condition that Nnamdi Kanu must provide a prominent Jewish leader as surety, noting that he professes Judaism as his religion is no justification for demanding that he provides a person of that faith as surety.

“The condition that a prominent Jewish leader should be the second surety is very far-fetched. The fact that Mr. Kanu claimed that Judaism is his religion cannot be the justification for asking him to present a non Nigerian to stand as his surety. Thus, Mr. Kanu needs a person of Jewish nationality to free him to attend to his health! We are not convinced that this condition is permissible under our Constitution and laws. Imagine Mr. Kanu meets this demand and there is a default, how can the court get access to the surety if he travels back to his country?”

The statement reads.

The group also frowns at Mazi Kanu being asked not to attend rallies or grant interviews, pointing out that he is not even denied those rights while in custody.

“To ask Mr. Kanu not to address rallies or grant media interviews is an extreme measure which apparently serves no purpose. This is a violation of fundamental human rights entrenched in Chapter Four of the Constitution. Even while in detention, he has not been restricted from having contact with the media.”

The statement reads.

The group further states that as Mr. Kanu is being released to attend to his health, he should be given unconditional freedom to attend to his health, noting that such will be “in the overall interest of the criminal justice system and the reputation of Nigeria as a democratic society.”
https://ezeja.com/news/2017/04/26/coalition-civil-society-groups-condemns-nnamdi-kanus-bail-conditions/

God help us ooo.

Those shouting that judiciary is against the president should see that they have been cowed by buhari. Let me sit down and watch how nigeria will be destroyed now

Make una just help am too naw..... Wait o is this KANU related to my Papilo ...... lol