Supreme Court to rule on whether to release Nnamdi Kanu or not on December 16

NIGERIA'S Supreme Court has announced that it will deliver judgment in the appeal filed by the federal government against the Court of Appeal ruling that quashed the criminal charges against the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) leader Nnamdi Kanu on December 15.

On October 13 2022, Nigeria's Court of Appeal declared Nnamdi Kanu's detention illegal and unlawful and quashed the terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government. In a judgment delivered by Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, the criminal charges by the federal government against Mr Kanu were thus voided and set aside.

According to the court, the federal government, having flagrantly breached the fundamental rights of Mr Kanu, lost the legal right to put him on trial. Also, the court held that laws are meant to be obeyed and that the federal government has no reason to have taken laws into her own hand in the illegal and unlawful way the matter of Mr Kanu was handled.

However, the federal government appealed the judgement and the Supreme Court has now fixed a judgement date after hearing from both sides. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun fixed the judgment date after taking arguments from Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome and Tijani Gazali, who stood for the federal government.

While presenting its case, the federal government, pleaded that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which upheld seven count charges against Mr Kanu, be affirmed so that he can be brought for trial. However, while opposing, Mr Ozekhome maintained that the federal government has since 2021 been detaining Mr Kanu illegally and unlawfully.

Mr Ozekhome pleaded that the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which quashed the charges against Mr Kanu and ordered his immediate release, be upheld. After the Court of Appeal judgement, Nigeria's then attorney-general Abubakar Malami hinted that the federal government will not release Mr Kanu but rather would file fresh charges against him.