The Court of Appeal in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, upheld the appeal of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
The court also discharged and acquitted the proscribed group’s leader.
Kanu had asked to be discharged and acquitted in his appeal dated April 29 and marked CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022. Kanu was arrested on December 23, 2015, and granted bail on April 25, 2017.
However, the Court of Appeal on Thursday declared Kanu’s kidnapping from Kenya to Nigeria illegal and unlawful, and quashed the entire terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
The Appellate Court ruled that the Federal Government violated all domestic and international laws by extraditing Kanu to Nigeria, rendering the terrorism charges against him ineffective and unlawful.
In a decision written by Justice Oludotun Adebola, the Appeal Court overturned and set aside the Federal Government’s charges against Kanu.
Justice Adebola ruled that Nigeria’s failure to follow due process through extradition was fatal to Kanu’s charges.
The Appeal Court also ruled that the Federal Government’s failure to disclose where and when the alleged crimes were committed was fatal to the terrorism charges and rendered them null and void.
Kanu’s lawyer and human rights activist, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, responded to the ruling on his Facebook page on Thursday.
“Appeal allowed, Oyendu Mazi Nnamdi KANU, discharged and acquitted. We have won!,” he wrote.
Source: Punch
