today-is-a-good-day
Home News US, UK Govts Take Position On Nnamdi Kanu’s Request To Attend His...

US, UK Govts Take Position On Nnamdi Kanu’s Request To Attend His Court Trial

0

The request by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu for the UK and US governments to directly observe the proceedings of his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja has been turned down.

The embattled IPOB leader through his lawyer had asked representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Nations to attend his next court proceedings.

Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor wrote the letters to the two countries and the UN on behalf of the IPOB leader.

He stated that officials of the Muhammadu Buhari administration have made unsavoury comments about him, stressing that it has become important that truly democratic institutions of the world send representatives to observe proceedings of his trial.

However, it is understood that both US and UK have turned down the request.

The US Embassy and the British High Commission in separate statements revealed the positions of their countries on the matter.

While the US said it was limiting its employees from attending public gatherings, the UK explained that it does not normally attend a court case involving a British national, the Punch reports.

The US Mission said while it is closely following Kanu’s trial, it is limiting its employees from attending public gatherings.

“The US Mission Nigeria is following the trial of Nnamdi Kanu closely. The US Department of State is limiting employees from attending public gatherings,” it said.

On its part, the British High Commission said it doesn’t attend the trial of a British national and if it does, it is only in observational capacity only.

Advertisements

“The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) would not normally attend a court case involving a British national, but where we do consider it appropriate to attend, our consular staff would do so in an observational capacity only.”

Asked to be specific if the commission would send any representative, the British High Commission’s spokesman, Dean Hurlock, was quoted to have said, “We can only offer you this as our response.”

Meanwhile, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has filed fresh terrorism allegations against the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.

Naija News reports that the Federal Government filed the amended process before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday.

The government increased the counts in the initial charge it preferred against Nnamdi Kanu.

The IPOB leader who was facing a seven-count treasonable felony charge, will now enter his fresh plea to a 15-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, M. B. Abubakar.

FG amended the charge, barely 24 hours to the scheduled commencement of hearing by trial Justice Binta Nyako.

The trial resumes today (Tuesday).

Advertisements

NO COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Exit mobile version