The Supreme Court of Nigeria has overturned the judgment of the Appeal Court that Nnamdi Kanu will no longer stand trial due to the manner in which he was brought to Nigeria.
The panel of Judges of the Supreme Court said Nnamdi Kanu must continue his trial The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) Nnamdi Kanu, his followers across the world and Nigerians were waiting to know his fate on Friday 15 December, 2023.
Nigeria’s highest court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, delivered the judgment on the matter starting since 2021 from the Federal High Court, Abuja. This is the final judgment that will lay the Nnamdi Kanu matter to rest completely, sake of no further courts carrying the matter.
The hope of ‘victory and freedom’ Sake of saying this is the last day of the matter, people from the Nnamdi Kanu camp were positive. It was expected that the judge would rule in Nnamdi Kanu’s favour. “What we expect is victory and freedom,” one of Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team members, Aloy Ejimakor, told BBC Pidgin. “Today, we expect the Supreme Court to rule that the extraordinary rendition is fundamentally wrong as it constitutes a permanent barrier to detaining the victim or subjecting him to trial. There is no other option than to free Nnamdi Kanu.” Aloy added. We expect to see the complete legal team of Nnamdi Kanu in court which is now led by Kanu Agabi. Remember that Mike Ozekhome was leading the team before he was changed. Supporters of Nnamdi Kanu were also expected to showface in court.
What had happened so far For the final hearing of the matter for the Supreme court on 5 October, 2023, the panel of judges reserved judgment till 15 December, 2023. For the hearing, counsel to the federal government Tijani Gazali asked the court to set aside the Appeal Court judgment that acquitted Nnamdi Kanu of criminal charges. “We urge my Lords to set aside the judgment of the Appeal Court clearing Kanu from standing trial and affirm the decision of the Federal High Court for Kanu to stand trial.” We urge the court to also dismiss the cross appeal for lack of merit.”
Meanwhile, former lead counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Mike Ozekhome told the court to uphold the Appeal Court judgment. “We urge the court to dismiss the main appeal and uphold the cross appeal in order to do justice to this matter so that the respondent who has been incarcerated since June 2021 can get justice.” May court also use this case to demonstrate that no man, government or citizen is above the law as this case gained global and international attention.” He said. Mike Ozekhome also withdrew the motion he filed on 8 Feb 2023 wherein he filed for the transfer of Nnamdi Kanu from DSS hand to Kuje Correctional Centre. The second motion withdrawn was filed on 9 Feb 2023. The motion is for the court to grant the respondent bail so that he may be alive to stand trial.
