Abaribe

Senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe has accused the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai of being responsible for the disappearance of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

In a fresh motion filed on Monday through his counsel, Chukwuma Machukwu (SAN) before a Federal High Court in Abuja where he and two other persons had stood as surety for the bail granted the fugitive IPOB leader, Abaribe said he should not be held responsible for the non-availability of Kanu to appear in court for his trial.

He alleged that Kanu’s unknown whereabouts was caused by the ‘whimsical, capricious, subversive and extra-judicial self-help’ of a mission embarked upon by the  Chief of Army Staff.

Abaribe, who had earlier filed a motion seeking to withdraw as Kanu’s surety maintained that the Chief of Army Staff was aware of the pending charges against the IPOB leader when he allegedly deployed soldiers to forcefully and violently invade Kanu’s home in Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia in Abia State on September 14.

He further stressed that Buratai’s deployment of soldiers under the guise of ‘Operation Python Dance II’ was the most probable reason that prevented Kanu from appearing in court to continue his trial as the action obviously frustrated the proceedings and course of administration of justice.

The Senator therefore sought an order directing the Chief of Army Staff to explain to the court why the Attorney-General of the Federation should not be compelled to initiate contempt charges against him for his extra-judicial self-help conducts.