Wednesday, 30th June 2021: Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has confirmed his arrest by the Nigerian state, but insists that his client must still be deemed innocent of whatever charges preferred against him.

Kanu was rearrested and repatriated back to Nigeria earlier on Tuesday for continuation of his trial for treasonable felony.

But his counsel in a statement on Tuesday said that no matter the gravity of the offences or charge preferred against him, Section 36(5) of the Constitution still presumes him innocent of the allegation.

Ejiofor claimed that Kanu was brought before the Federal High Court No 2 Abuja (on Tuesday) on an 11-count charge without the knowledge of his legal team.

“As it is in the public domain, the matter has been consequently adjourned to the 26th day of July 2021, for continuation of trial.

“The legal team ably led by my humble self will meet them in court on this date,” he said in the statement.

He, however, insisted that the IPOB leader “must be given a fair hearing/trial, which is his constitutionally protected right.”

He also noted that Kanu’s safety, as also guaranteed under our law throughout the trial and afterwards, must be guaranteed, adding that his “fortified legal team” would be meeting “to agree on strategies within the context of the charge and disposition of the court.”