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While reacting to the results of embattled IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s trial, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has also expressed utter disappointment and utter dissatisfaction which comes with the refusal of the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja division, Justice Binta Murtallah-Nyako to grant bail to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
HURIWA had also expressed concerns that the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari had, a few days ago mentioned that Nnamdi Kanu would not be granted bail and HURIWA said it is now looking like the Executive versus Judicial gang-up against the defendant.
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HURIWA said as a civil rights body, it is dismayed that the Honourable Judge of the Federal High Court did not even make reference to that extrajudicial comment by Buhari that the first defendant in a suit between the Federal Government and a citizen would not be granted bail.
The group said the court has proceeded to do exactly as stated by President Buhari as if to say that the judiciary is subservient to the executive arm of government.
HURIWA is appealing to the judiciary to safeguard her independence to avoid encouraging Nigerians to resort to self help measure if they perceive that the judiciary does the bidding and execute the scripts authored by politicians in the office of President Muhammadu Buhari.
HURIWA, in a media statement which had been signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator, said it was disturbing that President Buhari, who instituted the matter against Kanu and his organisation, seems to be adopting underhand tactics to cajole the judiciary to do her bidding as against the clear provisions of the Constitution on separation of powers as provided for in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended.
Besides, HURIWA said it is unclear why a citizen would spend a year in prison whilst undergoing trial for charges that the Federal Government has not adduced irrefutable proofs but there are top government officials who looted public treasury to the tune of nearly N200 billion and are on bail.
HURIWA recalled that the detained Nnamdi Kanu, currently facing a seven-count charge, had in the application he filed through his team of lawyers led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, equally challenged the revocation of the bail the court earlier granted to him.
HURIWA mentioned that although it is not in her place to determine for the presiding judge how to discharge her constitutional obligations but the rights group said the unfair treatment of Nnamdi Kanu because of where he comes from is against Section 42(1) of the Constitution which absolutely makes discrimination unacceptable and unlawful.
