The detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu got a partial reprieve on Wednesday as a Federal High Court in Abuja struck out six out of the 11 charges instituted against him and other persons by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justice Binta Nyako, struck out the charges in her ruling, as she concurred partly with the preliminary objection raised by three of the four defendants.
The accused persons were on November 8, 2016, re-arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako on amended 11 counts, comprising terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods.
Those charged along with Kanu are the National Coordinator of IPOB member, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.
Justice Nyako held that six of the 11 charges disclosed no prima facie cases and the elements of offences supposedly preferred against the defendants.
The struck out charges bothered on management of unlawful organisation, intention to manufacture bomb, improper importation of a radio transmitter.
On the charge of management of unlawful organisation, Justice Nyako held that the prosecution had failed to prove that IPOB was either unlawful, unregistered or had been proscribed.
The ruling comes hours after some prominent Igbo leaders, including former CBN governor, Charles Soludo demanded the immediate, unconditional release of Kanu.
Soludo said that Kanu’s continuous detention despite court orders granting him bail, is an abuse of his personal rights.
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