Agbahime death; group calls for re-arrest of freed suspects

www.odogwublog.com reports that days after a court freed alleged Islamic fundamentals of any complicity in the murder of a female trader in Kano state, a pan Igbo group, Igbo National Council (INC) has condemned the ruling saying it is an affront on the country's democracy that promotes rule of law, saying it may ignite unrest in the South East.
INC made the assertion in a statement issued in Owerri and signed by its President,  Chilos Godsent.
INC described the release of the accused persons as an affront on the country's democracy which promotes rule of law.
INC said "We note that Magistrate Court lacks jurisdiction in the trial of murder case. We also think the best thing to do was to refer the matter to High court  of competent jurisdiction rather than playing politics with the life of a worthy Nigerian citizen".
The group warned that the judgment could spark off unrest. "The Federal Government should also know that the release of the killers of Mrs Bridget Agbahime by a Kano State Magistrate court have the capacity and propensity to ignite a reappraisal action in the Eastern Nigerian as the only way to seek justice. Since the announcement of the release the killers there has being rising tension in the Eastern Nigeria", the group said.
They called for the immediate re-arrest of the freed men who should be tried in a high court. "We insist that the federal government of Nigeria should quickly re-arrest the killers of Mrs Bridget Agbahime and prosecute them accordingly. A stitch in time saves nine. INC will not fold her hands and watch the killers of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime go unpunished. Justice must take its cause. Killing fellow citizen like chicken with impunity in disguise of protecting religious faith will not be tolerated by any responsible Government ", their statement read.
Further, INC said that impunity and jungle justice reign when a government shies away from its primary responsibility of protecting her citizens, saying it will adopt all legal procedures to ensure the perpetrators of the crime face the full wrath of the law.