Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, granted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, bail in the sum of N100 million and three sureties in like sum.
Nyako, while delivering her ruling on Kanu’s bail application, held that the IPOB leader must depose to an affidavit that he will be available in court to face his trial.
Another condition for the bail of the Biafran leader was that, one of the sureties must be a highly respected person of Igbo extraction, such as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Justice Nyako said another of the surety must be a highly respected Jewish leader, while the third surety must be a person of integrity and a resident of Abuja.
The Judge also ordered the IPOB leader to deposit his International Passport with the court, explaining that if Kanu’s travel document is with the security agency, it should transferred to the court as part of the bail conditions for the Biafra leader.
“I will need monthly report of the health condition of the 1st defendant (Kanu)”, Justice Nyako stated and refused to grant the bail application for Kanu’s co-defendants.
She said Kanu had based his bail application on health grounds and added that, “I am of the view that it is only a living person that can appear in court for trial.
“I, hereby, exercise my discretion to grant the first defendant (Kanu) bail and refused the baill application of his co-defendants”, the Judge said and added that Kanu’s health challenge cannot be handled by the medical facilities at the Kuje prison.
The Judge barred the IPOB leader from rallies, granting press interviews and must not stay in a crowd with more than ten people.
Earlier, Justice Nyako had turned down the request by the IPOB leader and his co-defendants, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi for variation of her earlier order for protection of prosecution witnesses.
The Judge held that the defendants have not provided anything new in their earlier argument for the variation of the order.
“My earlier ruling remains as prosecution witnesses, who are security agents will be protected as their identity will not be disclosed”, the Judge held.
Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State who was in the Abuja court as early as 9am, hugged and had a brief chat with Kanu before the court started sitting.
Fayose, who said he was in court in solidarity with the Biafran leader, added that he saluted Kanu’s spirit.
“One day, the IPOB leader will walk as a free man in the country”.
