Supreme Court fixes December 15th to deliver judgement in Nnamdi Kanu’s case

The court of appeal had previously ordered the release of Mr Kanu in a judgement delivered on October 13, 2022.

Michael Ndu-Okeke • October 5, 2023

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu

The Supreme Court has fixed December 15th as the judgement date for the case against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Supreme Court would deliver judgement on the appeal seeking to compel the federal government to release the IPOB leader from detention.

The court of appeal had previously ordered the release of Mr Kanu in a judgement delivered on October 13, 2022.

The three-member panel in the appellate court unanimously rejected a 15-count terrorism charge the FG entered against the IPOB leader, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The federal government, unsatisfied with the judgement, proceeded to take the matter before the Supreme Court.

At the proceedings on Thursday at the Supreme Court, a five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, fixed the matter for judgement after hearing the final briefs from both parties.

While adopting his final brief, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, counsel for Mr Kanu, urged the court to order the immediate release of his client and penalise the federal government with a heavy punitive cost.

“We urge my lords to uphold our Cross-Appeal to do substantial justice to this matter and to the Respondent who has been in detention since June 29, 2021, even after the lower court ordered his release and that he should never be prosecuted again on the same counts,”Mr Ozekhome said.

“They are still holding him unconstitutionally. We pray my Lords to deliver justice and use this case, just like in Ojukwu vs. State, to demonstrate that no man or government should be above the law,” he added.

However, counsel for the FG, Tijani Gazalli, SAN, urged the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement delivered by the appeal court which ordered Mr Kanu’s release.

He then prayed the court to order the resumption of Mr Kanu’s trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja for terrorism-related charges.

Mr Kanu, the leader of IPOB, has been detained by the federal government since June 29, 2021.

South-East leaders have collectively demanded his release for an improved security in their region.

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