By Austin Ogwuda
…says assurances so far received are not for public consumption
The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has dismissed the insinuation to the effect that Governors of the South East have abandoned the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to his fate.
Speaking at a Media parley on Thursday night in Umuahia, Otti said he was not alone in the journey but including his other colleagues in the South East region.
Said he, “Some of the engagements and assurances we have received are not for public consumption since it may derail the process. But you can take it for granted that, as his Governor, I am at the forefront of ensuring he comes back home. All the South East governors are together in this”.
His clarification came a day after Igbo Elders from across the South East staged a protest at Government House, Umuahia over Kanu’s continued incarceration.
The elders accused political leaders in the zone of neglecting the IPOB leader and urged Otti to rally his colleagues to engage President Bola Tinubu on the matter.
Otti expressed optimism that ongoing engagements would yield positive results.
…Court dismisses no-case submission
Meantime, the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission made by Nnamdi Kanu.
The court in its ruling on Friday (today) held that a prima facie case has been established against him by the Federal government and consequently ordered him to enter defence in the terrorism charges preferred against him.
Justice James Omotosho held that it is in the best interest of Kanu to be given the opportunity to clear some issues raised against him.
On Kanu’s fitness to stand trial: Court orders NMA to set up a medical team to determine
The Court has also ordered the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to set up a team of between eight and ten members to determine his (Kanu) fitness to stand trial.
Justice Omotosho issued the order while ruling on an application by Kanu, seeking to be transferred to a private ward at the National Hospital for urgent medical attention for an alleged life-threatening illness.
The judge, who reviewed arguments by Kanu’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and that of the prosecution, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), ordered that the team, to be constituted by the NMA’s president, should assess the health facilities of the Department of State Services (DSS) to determine if they were adequate to effectively take care of defendant’s ailment.
According to the judge, the team is also to determine whether or not it was necessary to transfer Kanu to the National Hospital as he requested and whether his medical status was such that could make him unfit to continue to stand trial.
Omotoso also ordered that the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital or his representative should be a member of the team.
He ordered that the report of the team’s findings should be signed by both its Chairman and Secretary and should be filed in the court’s registry within eight days from today (September 26, 2025).
*Credit: Channels TV, Vanguard Newspapers
