NNAMDI Kanu says he would employ the services of his lawyers in the United Kingdom to contest the order for his arrest made on Thursday by the Nigerian Federal High Court.
He made this disclosure during a broadcast on Radio Biafra.
“The revocation of my bail will never ever hold; they can never convict us because we have done nothing wrong,” said the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“Every move they make, every decision they take, I will challenge. I have instructed my lawyers, we will challenge in a competent court of law here in Britain where law actually works. I am waiting for them.”
At any time the International Police is instructed to arrest him, he added, he would take it up because the United Kingdom “is a civilised country”.
“First, I am not a Nigerian citizen. Your bail revocation will never ever work. Anybody interested in revoking my bail would have asked the army what they were doing in my place,” he said.
Kanu also insisted that his group, IPOB, will continue on its chosen mandate, which is to agitate for secession.
He said: “They have not even defined the crime they said I have committed. There is no crime in Nigeria called secession; secession is not a crime in Nigeria or anywhere in the world. Only armed rebellion is a crime, not self determination.
“If you are out to demoralise us, you will never ever succeed. We will continue to agitate; we continue to move forward because we are IPOB; we don’t relent and can never ever relent. Which crime did Nnamdi Kanu and his co-defendants commit? Somebody should name it. Secession is not a crime.”
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday revoked the bail granted to Kanu and ordered for his arrest. She said Kanu has failed to show up at his trial since the bail was granted in April 2017.
She also added that until he is re-arraigned before the court, the trial, which was adjourned to June 18, would go ahead in his absence.
Kanu had been charged with terrorism and treason, alongside four others: Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Mmadubugwu, and David Nwawusi. The charges were, however, later separated and the others were charged with simply three count of treasonable felony.
'Kunle works with The ICIR as an investigative reporter and fact-checker. You can shoot him an email via [email protected] or, if you're feeling particularly generous, follow him on Twitter @KunleBajo.