The detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has appealed to his supporters to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during his next court appearance, January 18, in Abuja.
His lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, made this known in a statement after his visit on Thursday to Kanu in detention.
He said the IPOB leader was in a cheerful mood and is confident of victory in the long run.
Ejiofor said, “Onyendu utilised the opportunity afforded by our visit to mandate us to admonish his teeming supporters and followers.
“He advises those of them that would appear in court in demonstration of their unflinching support and loyalty to him to conduct themselves with decorum, be civil in their conduct and comportment, shun violence and deviant behaviour in any manner or form, and exercise restraint in speech.”
The lawyer said he and Kanu discussed “final preparations” ahead of the legal battle.
“We coalesced the product of our individual reflections on the most potent legal strategies henceforth to be adopted, fine-tuned and harmonised them, and then distilled them into a single, conclusive, potent, workable formula.
“We are optimistic that the court outings of Onyendu would be impressive. Onyendu himself is in high spirits. Our discussions with him further reassured him and strengthened his determination to persevere unrelentingly,” the lawyer said.
Ejiofor said the world will behold an “interesting dimension in the harmonised workable formula” Kanu’s legal team has put together, adding that Kanu’s detractors would be put to shame.
“We have caused formal correspondences to issue on responsible, sovereign, democratic governments and other international institutions to prevail on the Nigerian Government to caution uncouth and overzealous security agents.
“We can authoritatively declare to you, that those correspondences are receiving the requisite attention they deserve.
“We are optimistic that there would be a positive transformation in the conduct and general approach of the said overzealous security agents at the next appearance of Onyendu in court.
“We make bold to state for the umpteenth time that Onyendu has not committed any offence known to law. For this reason, he must be released unconditionally.”
Ejiofor said Mr Kanu expressed his appreciation to his followers and supporters within and outside Nigeria.
The IPOB leader was arrested last year in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to stand trial for alleged treason.
IPOB has been linked to deadly attacks in Nigeria’s South-east and South-south.
The group is seeking an independent state of Biafra to be carved out of the South-east and part of the South-south.