— By Our Correspondent —
The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has discharged the embattled leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu is being prosecuted by the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal High Court in Abuja for 15-count charges, including treasonable felony and terrorism, offences he allegedly committed in the course of his separatist campaigns.
A 3-man panel of the Court of Appeal said the Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to try Kanu given his abduction and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria in flagrant violation of the OAU convention and protocol on extradition.
The court held that the 15-count charge preferred against Kanu did not disclose the place, date, time and nature of the alleged offences before being unlawfully extradited to Nigeria in clear violation of international treaties.
The court further held that the Federal Government failed to disclose where Nnamdi Kanu was arrested despite the grave allegations against him.
In a swift reaction, however, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said it has received the news of the decision of the Court of Appeal concerning the trial of Nnamdi Kanu. “For the avoidance of doubt and by the verdict of the Court, Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted,” a statement signed by Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, who is the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, declared.
“Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public. The decision handed down by the court of appeal was on a single issues that borders on rendition.
“Let it be made clear to the general public that other issues that predates rendition on the basis of which Kanu jumped bail remain valid issues for judicial determination. The Federal Government will consider all available options open to us on the judgment on rendition while pursuing determination of pre-rendition issues,” the statement maintained.
