#Nnamdi Kanu: Justice Tsoho choosing the path of IGNOMINY. Another Pontius Pilate in the making?

#Nnamdi Kanu: Justice Tsoho choosing the path of IGNOMINY. Another Pontius Pilate in the making?

Yesterday Justice John Tsoho of a Nigerian Federal High Court in Abuja, appeared to have chosen the path of historic ignominy. Tsoho refused to grant an innocent man Nnamdi Kanu, bail from phantom charges of treason brought against him by the corrupt Nigerian government. 

Justice Tsoho may go down in history like the infamous Pontius Pilate who condemned Jesus Christ to death, despite knowing he was innocent of all the charges brought against him.

In his ruling Tsoho mentioned that the Indigenous People of Biafra are seeking self-determination however, he stopped short of mentioning that self-determination is enshrined in the international law and can never amount to treason!

The court also denied bail to two other Biafran activists: Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, who are facing trial with Kanu.

According to Tsoho, the charge against the defendants “is a grave one that will attract severe punishment upon conviction”.

The court noted that the offence that was allegedly committed by the defendants, which borders on treasonable felony, attracts ‎life imprisonment.

Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB), with a Prisons official, at the premises of a
Federal High Court in Abuja.

‎It held that the right to personal liberty of any individual takes secondary place once the issue of national security is involved.

Besides, Justice Tsoho observed that the defendants had in an affidavit they deposed in support of their bail application, ‎insisted that they have a right to agitate for self determination.

“The situation as perceived by this court is that there is conflict of interest between the applicants who insist that they have a right to agitate and the respondent (federal government) ‎which argues that it has the responsibility to maintain peace and order.

“Personal liberty of an individual within the contemplation of section 35 of the 1999 constitution is a qualified right that is not absolute. It can be curtailed in other to prevent a person from committing further offence.

“Section 35 cannot be used as a canopy to escape lawful detention by persons suspected to have committed serious crime”, the Judge held.

While ordering that the defendants should remain at Kuje prison, the Judge fixed February 9 to commence their trial.

‎The trio are answering to a six-count treason charge that was preferred against him by the federal government. They were in the charge that was signed by the DPP, alleged to have committed treasonable felony, an offence said to be punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Justice Tsoho should be aware that Alex Salmond of the Scottish Independence Party has been at the forefront of Scottish self-determination from the United Kingdom. He has never been accused of treasonable felony by the British government.

The Nigerian Government alleged that the accused persons were the ones managing the affairs of the IPOB which it described as “an unlawful society”. Kanu who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Television, was specifically alleged to have illegally smuggled radio transmitters into Nigeria.

The IPOB leader has been in detention since October 14, 2015, when ‎he was arrested in Lagos by security operatives shortly after he arrived Nigeria from his base in the UK.

No where in the world has radio transmitters been considered an instrument of sedition. If one broadcast what a government felt is falsehood, the government with all the media facilities it has can easily counter such falsehood. Nigerian government is however trying to stifle the truth about the oppression Biafrans have been and are been subjected to in Nigeria.

Justice Tsoho should be aware that Alex Salmond of the Scottish Independence Party has been at the forefront of Scottish self-determination from the United Kingdom. He has never been accused of treasonable felony by the British government.

Likewise,  Artur Mas has been leading Catalonia independence from Spain.

Justice Tsoho still have time to retract from the path of ignominy he is toying with. Two other judges in their wisdom have acquitted Nnamdi Kanu and others, Tsoho should not make himself a hatchet man for the criminal Nigerian government. Biafra will one day emerge as an independent country and posterity will judge the likes of Tsoho who in one way or the other played into the dirty hands of the Nigerian government.