Groups Present Joint Summary
In Case Against FG In Austria
FRIDAY, 03 MAY 2013 19:45
EDITOR NEWS - NATIONAL
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TWO pro-Biafran groups, Bilie
Human Rights Initiative and
Biafra Alliance (Australia), have
presented a joint petition and
summary of the ongoing court
case instituted against the
Federal Government to the
Australian government.
In a meeting organised by Biafra
Alliance (Australia), in
conjunction with Radio Biafra,
London, in Canberra, Australia
recently, the groups said the
petition was part of sensitisation
programme aimed at
highlighting the sufferings of
Southeastern Nigerians at home.
It was gathered that the pro-
Biafran groups were represented
by four-man delegation led by
Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio
Biafra, London, who travelled
from United Kingdom to
Australia; Mazi Okezie Oguh, the
leader of Biafra Alliance
(Australia) and two others.
The Australian government, it
was learnt, was represented by
high-ranking officials in the
Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, situated at the R.G.
Casey Building, on John McEwen
Crescent Barton, Canberra, who
received the written submission.
According to one of those who
attended the meeting, Okezie
Oguh, the move is “a new
approach in the agitation for
Biafra, which includes building
meaningful international
relations and exploitation of new
media techniques.”
He said that this is the beginning
of the new phase of the struggle,
“as Biafrans all over the world
will be encouraged through
Radio Biafra worldwide
broadcast to lobby the
governments of the country of
their residence to lend tangible
support to the peaceful and
democratic agitation for Biafra.”
Meanwhile, the case instituted by
Bile Human Rights Initiative
against the Federal Government
resumes on June 25. When the
case came up on April 30, the
judge had adjourned to June,
when it would determine the
motion by the Federal
Government challenging the
competence of the suit.
Counsel to the Federal
Government, Sola Abenla, had
argued, on April 30, that the suit
by the pro-Biafran group was
incompetent and a misnomer. He
stated that the group, which
instituted the suit, was not a
legal entity.
The lawyer further said that the
pro-Biafra group filed an
amendment with another name,
after they were served with
preliminary objection, adding
that the amendment was a
fundamental error, which is a
breach of the Rule 17 of the
court and therefore, should not
be admitted.
Lawyer representing the pro-
Biafran group, C. Emeka, in his
counter argument, stated that
the defence counsel had
misapplied the definition of a
misnomer and prayed the court
to discountenance same.
He stated that the amendment
sought was permitted in law,
while urging the judge to go
ahead to determine the suit
before him.
The presiding judge, Justice S. M.
Shuaibu, had adjourned further
hearing on the matter to June 25.