The National Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Damian Okeke-Ogene, has hailed the Court of Appeal judgment which released the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, saying it would address insecurity in the South-east region.
Okeke-Ogene said this while reacting to the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, which upheld Kanu’s appeal, and discharged him.
The court cleared Kanu of charges of treasonable felony he had been facing.
Kanu was brought back to the country on June 27 last year.
He was later arraigned by the Federal government on a 15-count charge of treasonable felony and terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Meanwhile, at Thursday’s proceeding, a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Hanatu Sankey held that the charges preferred against the IPOB leader did not disclose the place, date, time and nature of the alleged offences before he was extradited to Nigeria in clear violation of international treaties.
The IPOB usually issued a sit-at-home order any day Kanu was to appear in court.
People in the region also sit-at-home every Monday, in protest for the release of the IPOB leader.
Several criminal elements capitalised on the situation to unleash mayhem on innocent people in the region.
Okeke-Ogene added that stories of unknown gunmen ravaging towns and villages in the region would be a thing of the past.
He said: “I believe that with this development, the activities of gunmen troubling the peace and development of the Igbo nation will come to an end. It is a victory for Nigerians and a landmark victory for the judiciary.
“We thank the lawyers, especially, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, for always being there for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. We are happy.”