On Thursday, an Appeal Court in Abuja discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, of terrorism charges.
Kanu filed an appeal with the appellate court, requesting that the Nigerian government drop the terrorism charges against him.
Kanu was charged by the Federal Government in the Federal High Court in Abuja with 15 counts of treasonable felony and terrorism, which he denied.
The IPOB leader had criticized Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja for ordering him to answer seven of the 15-count terrorism charge against him.
He had asked the appellate court to dismiss all charges against him and set him free on various grounds.
However, Kanu was discharged by a three-judge panel led by Justice Hanatu Sankey.
Kanu has repeatedly called for southern Nigeria to secede and form the Republic of Biafra.
Nigerian authorities arrested Nnamdi Kanu in October 2015 on an 11-count charge that included "terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms, and improper importation of goods, among other things."
For medical reasons, he was granted bail in April 2017.
Kanu, on the other hand, fled the country in September 2017 following a military invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State.
He was later seen in Israel before relocating to London, England. He has been detained by the DSS since June 2021, when he was apprehended in Kenya and brought to Nigeria.
Also Read: Strike: Appeal court orders ASUU to resume work immediately
According to Vanguard, the appellate court, in a decision delivered on Thursday, October 13, by a three-man panel led by Justice Jummai Hanatu, said it was satisfied that FG flagrantly violated the law when it forcibly returned Kanu from Kenya to the country for the continuation of his trial.
The court ruled that Kanu's 15-count charge did not disclose the location, date, time, and nature of the alleged offenses before he was unlawfully extradited to Nigeria in clear violation of international treaties.
It ruled that such extraordinary rendition, without due process of law, was a flagrant violation of all international conventions, protocols, and guidelines to which Nigeria is a signatory, as well as a violation of the Appellant's fundamental human rights.
The appellate court noted that the FG failed to refute the allegation that the IPOB leader was in Kenya and was kidnapped and returned to the country without any extradition proceedings.
The court also ruled that the Federal Government failed to reveal the location of Nnamdi Kanu's arrest despite serious allegations of terrorism leveled against him
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu's lead counsel, confirmed the ruling.
“Appeal allowed , Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi KANU, discharged and acquitted. We have won! Victory victory victory victory.”
You Might Also Like: Family Confirms Death of Bukka Hut Co-owner, Laolu Martins
0 Comments: