Where's IPOB leader?

The last time anyone heard from Kanu, he was barking instructions from his father’s ransacked compound, as the army's Operation Python Dance went into overdrive.

Speaking into a video recorded on the terrace of his dad’s compound in Afaraukwu, Umuahia, Kanu begged his supporters to flee the premises because the army had left a bomb in there somewhere.

'Leave the house'

“Leave that house…leave the house”, Kanu blared. “It appears they (the soldiers) might come back. They just blew off everything. Everywhere attack.

“It appears there’s a bomb in the house. And they took my father away. That’s what I know for sure”, Kanu stuttered, his voice now increasingly shaky and laced with trepidation.

The date: September 14, 2017.

It would turn out the last time anyone heard from Kanu since the latest unrest and clashes between the army and separatists in Abia State.

Sureties in trouble

This week, the President’s Special Assistant on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-obla, issued an ultimatum of some sort to three persons who stood as sureties for Kanu.

Kanu is due in court next month to continue his trial for treason and illegal possession of firearms; with 'hate speech' as a possible side dish among the charges.

But he can’t be prosecuted if no one knows where he is.

According to Obono-Obla, “the Federal Government has already filed a motion to set aside Kanu’s bail.

“Following the military exercise carried out in Umuahia, Abia State and the subsequent proscription of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has not been seen and may have gone underground.

“So it is not likely that he will appear in court on the next adjourned day for fear of being arrested by the police or security agencies. Kanu had sureties that entered into recognizance or signed bail bonds as ordered by the court that led to his release”.

Obono-Obla who works from the office of the Attorney General also said Kanu’s sureties could be arrested if they do not produce the man for prosecution.

“The court also may issue a warrant of arrest where a defendant (Kanu) bound by a recognizance or bond fails to appear before a court or police station. It follows that if Kanu fails to appear before the Federal High Court on the next adjourned date, the Judge will likely issue a warrant for his arrest.

“The implication of the failure of Kanu to appear in court on the next adjourned date on those who stood sureties for his recognizance is that his recognizance shall be forfeited.

“It follows that Kanu’s three sureties will be ordered to pay N100M each. Where sufficient cause is not shown by the sureties or the persons bound and the penalty is not paid, the court may recover the penalty from the person bound or from his estate if he is dead, in the manner laid down in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 for the recovery of fine.

“However, where the penalty is not paid and cannot be recovered in the manner laid down by the law, the person bound shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months,” Obono-Obla added.

The three sureties who signed Kanu’s bail bond are: Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Jewish High Chief Priest, Immanuu-El Shalom Okabemadu and a Chartered Accountant who resides in the capital city of Abuja, Tochukwu Uchendu.

Kanu's lawyer sues

Moments after Obono-Obla’s comments, Kanu’s attorney, Ifeanyi Ejiofor said it is the federal government’s job to produce Kanu in court on the next adjourned date.

“The fact is that they are in a position to produce him at the next adjourned date. It is public knowledge that my client had, before his house was invaded, always made himself available for trial”, Ejiofor said.

“He never evaded trial as he made it known that he was ready. If he wanted to jump bail, he would have done so immediately he was released from prison. But he did not run”.

Like IPOB, Ejiofor also insinuated that Kanu may just have been killed by the soldiers who invaded his residence on the day.

“The last time I spoke with my client was the day his house was invaded by soldiers. He called me and complained that he was being attacked by soldiers who he said were shooting sporadically. Since then, I have not heard from my client again.

“If he is alive, they should tell the court on that day. They will not only explain to the trial court, but will also produce the soldiers that went to his home to attack him," Ejiofor added.

On September 27, 2017, Ejiofor filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In his suit, Ejiofor asked the Judge to compel Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, to produce Kanu.

ALSO READ: Buhari’s aide says IPOB leader’s sureties might be arrested

"We just filed an application for prerogative order of habeas corpus commanding the Chief of Army Staff to produce Nnamdi Kanu in court," Ejiofor said.

'We don't know where he is'

However, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the federal government has no idea where Kanu is.

Mohammed also said Kanu has gone into hiding to evade prosecution.

Mohammed added that claims that the federal government is keeping Kanu, were wide of the mark and incorrect.

"He's not being held by government at all”, Mohammed said.

There's also the possibility that Kanu could well be 'hiding' in plain sight.