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Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has merely been dismissed by the Court of Appeal, not cleared, according to Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.
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Remember that on Thursday, October 13, the Abuja Appeal Court freed Kanu, who was facing 15 counts of treasonable felony and terrorism-related offenses in the Federal High Court in Abuja, which he vehemently disputed.
In rendering its decision, a three-person panel of the Court of Appeal found that, given Kanu’s kidnapping and exceptional return to Nigeria in flagrant violation of the OAU treaty and protocol on extradition, the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to trial Kanu. The court further found that Kanu was wrongfully extradited to Nigeria in clear contravention of international treaties because the 15-count charge against him did not specify the location, the time, the date, or the nature of the alleged offenses. The court further ruled that despite the serious charges of terrorism brought against Nnamdi Kanu, the Federal Government had not disclosed the location of his arrest.
In a statement responding to the court’s decision, Malami claimed that the appeal court just cleared Kanu of all charges—not acquitted him. The statement was signed by his spokesperson, Dr. Umar Jibril Gwandu.
The declaration reads:
The statement read, “The news of the judgement of the Court of Appeal concerning the trial of Nnamdi Kanu has been received by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.” “For the sake of clarity and in accordance with the Court’s ruling, Kanu was only dismissed and not found not guilty.
As a result, the necessary legal measures available to the authorities will be used and disclosed to the public as required.
The court of appeal’s decision concerned a single issue that borders on rendition
.
It should be made plain to the public that Kanu’s decision to escape bail was based on other, earlier matters that are still subject to legal resolution.
While working to resolve the pre-renditional issues, the Federal Government will weigh all of the alternatives that are open to us about the rendition judgment.
The declaration read
