Nnamdi Kanu must face terrorism charges, Supreme Court, declines to free him

CHIGOZIE IKPO, Abuja

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to order the release of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.

The Apex Court overturned the judgement of the Court of Appeal in October last year, which ordered the release of Kanu, and quashed the terrorism charges labeled against him.

In a Judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim but written by Justice Garba Lawal, the Apex Court held that although the Nigerian Government was reckless and unlawfully rendered Kanu from Kenya, such unlawful act has not divested any Court from proceeding with trial.

Justice Lawal said that no Nigerian law was cited in the suit seeking Kanu’s release on mere unlawful abduction from Kenya adding that at moment, the remedy for such action is for Kanu to file a Civil matter against such act instead of removing the powers of courts to continue with his trial for alleged criminal charges.

The Apex Court subsequently ordered that Kanu should go and defend himself in the remaining 7 count terrorism charges against him.

The judgement was delivered amidst tight security but Kanu was not present in court.

Kanu who is the leader of the proscribed secessionist group, IPOB, has been in detention since June 2021 when he was re-arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria.

He and his legal team have accused the Federal Government of abducting him and illegally bringing him to Nigeria. He has challenged the alleged extraordinary rendition in court.

Upon his re-arrest in 2021, he was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on four charges of treasonable felony, conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, terrorism, illegal importation of radio equipment, and defamation of former President Muhammadu Buhari

The charges were later amended to 15 bordering on terrorism and membership of a proscribed group.

Justice Binta Nyako of the trial court had in her ruling dismissed eight out of the 15 charges, saying that Mr Kanu had questions to answer in relation to the remaining seven charges.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Mr Kanu appealed to the Court of Appeal, which dismissed the remaining charges and ordered that Mr Kanu be released.

In a twist, the court then granted a stay of execution of its judgment after the Federal Government told the court it would be appealing to the Supreme Court.

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