Bowing to pressure, the Nigerian Government yesterday arraigned Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in court. Kanu’s arrest on Wednesday by the Department of State Security (DSS) had sparked widespread outrage, with the Nigerian secret police keeping mute as various groups and individuals asked it to either release the detained separatist or charge him to court.

Late yesterday, Mr. Kanu was taken to an Abuja court and arraigned without fanfare. His lawyer, Mr. Vincent Egechukwu Obeta, said late yesterday that hos client was taken to a court in the Nigerian capital and granted bail with a surety of N2 million and a civil servant of Grade Level 16. It was not immediately clear if he was able to meet the bail conditions.

A report this morning in Daily Sun quoted Mr. Obeta as telling newsmen that Kanu was arrested at Golden Tulip Essential Hotel, Ikeja Lagos, at 10:45 a.m. after the security agents broke into all the hotel rooms in search of him. He said that his client was thereafter whisked away to Abuja together with three staffers of the hotel.

Kanu, according to Obeta, had arrived from his London base in the United Kingdom (UK) at 5:35 a.m. and checked into the hotel, unaware that security agents were on his trail. He disclosed that those who arrested him took away his personal belongings, including his database.

•Photo shows Nnamdi Kanu.