Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, has denied the report that claimed he had directed Igbo youths to stage mass protests in Abuja in solidarity with the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Friday, March 21.
Speaking on the speculation, the traditional ruler in a statement on Thursday, March 20, called on the public to disregard the report, noting that the claim was a total false that should be disregarded. The statement was signed by his chief of staff Chief Osita Anionwu.
“It also falsely claims that the Obi of Onitsha will personally lead the protest. We categorically deny this report. His Majesty did not issue any such directive. The Obi of Onitsha is presently in New York, USA, attending the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women (CSW69) and will not return to Nigeria until March 26.”
Nnamdi Kani: Onitsha monarch advocated peaceful resolution
The traditional ruler reiterated his commitment to a peaceful resolution in the case of the embattled traditional ruler while calling on the public to follow official sources for credible information.
Recently, the Federal High Court denied the claim that the newly assigned judge in the case of Nnamdi Kanu. In a statement signed by Sulaiman Hassan, the chief registrar of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, March 11, the court explained that the report was “false and misleading”.
There has been a report going around on social media that the chief judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, was the new judge presiding over Nnamdi Kanu’s case, and has withdrawn because of the illegality of Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest.
Federal High Court speaks on Nnamdi Kanu
However, a statement from the chief registrar explained that the report was grossly mischievous, entirely unfounded, damaging in intent, and fictitious and urged the public to disregard it in its entirety.
The management of the court expressed concerns about the report and refuted the claim, saying it was false and misleading. It noted that the allegation that Hon. Justice John T. Tsoho, OFR, has stepped down in Nnadi Kanu’s trial was a total falsehood.
It further explained that the chief judge had not stepped down and never made any statement concerning the legality of Kanu’s arrest.
Hassan explained that the truth of the matter was that Justice Tsoho, in his capacity as Chief Judge, had reassigned Nnamdi Kanu’s suit from Justice Binta Nyako to another (‘new’) Judge.
DSS did not announce that Kanu escaped
earlier reported that the claims that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed IPOB, escaped from DSS custody have been fact-checked and found to be false.
Several Facebook posts made the claim, but Africa Check, a fact-checking organisation, confirmed that the report was fake and was without any credible evidence.
Nnamdi Kanu had been in DSS custody since 2019 after he was re-arrested in Kenya; he had earlier jumped bail in Nigeria in 2017.
