Nnamdi Chukwu
THE leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu will remain behind bars and see through his charge of treason currently pending before a Federal High Court, so rules the Supreme Court.
Kanu has been in detention since 19 June 2021 when he was rearrested in Kenya and subjected to extraordinary rendition to Nigeria.
With his return, the Nigerian government arraigned him before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a four-count charge of treasonable felony, conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, illegal importation of radio equipment, and defamation of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The charges were later withdrawn by former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami who replaced them with a fresh 14-count charge bordering on terrorism and membership of a proscribed group.
In April 2022, Binta Nyako, a Federal High Court judge in Abuja, struck out eight of the 15 counts in the charge.
The remaining seven counts were later quashed by the Court of Appeal on 13 October, 2022, with the judge ordering Kanu’s release.
However, on 28 October, 2022, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution on its verdict discharging Kanu, after the federal government filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.
The five-member panel of the apex court however today upheld the decision of the Federal High Court. Delivering judgment, the court reversed the verdict of the appeal court.
In a unanimous decision, the five-member panel of the court held that even though the federal government acted “irresponsibly” by forcefully bringing Kanu back to the country from Kenya, there is no legislation that prevents the trial court from continuing with the case.
Eighteen-Eleven Media