Court adjourns Nnamdi Kanu’s case till October as SSS fails to produce IPOB leader in court
The State Security Service on Monday failed to produce the leader of IPOB Nnamdi Kanu in court for continuation of trial.
M.B. Abubakar, the lawyer representing the Buhari regime in the matter, cited logistics reasons for the disobedience of court order, which had previously said Mr Kanu should be returned to court on July 26 to hear bail application.
Mr Abubakar said the government was ready to allow trial to continue in the absence of Mr Kanu.
Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako said the government’s action was disturbing, saying Mr Kanu should have been presented in court since he was remanded in SSS custody last month.
“I am also worried why the defendant is not here.,” Ms Murtala-Nyako said. “The first step in a criminals matter is to provide the defendant in court.”
But the separatist leader’s lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor told the court that Mr Kanu’s health conditions had deteriorated in custody and should be released before the next adjournment.
Mr Ejiofor also said he believed Mr Kanu had been taken away from Abuja where the judge said he should be remanded last month.
“I was informed authoritatively, I am speaking from the bar, that Nnamdi Kanu has been taken out of jurisdiction of this court,” the lawyer said.
Mr Ejiofor said Mr Kanu should not be allowed to suffer perpetually in SSS custody because of the long vacation that judges will be embarking upon from this month until mid-October.
Mr Kanu was abducted by Nigerian agents in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria on June 29, according to Attorney-General Abubakar Malami.
The development has received widespread controversy, with rights activists said the Buhari regime had violated international rights law by abducting the frontline separatist agitator, who was carrying a British passport at the time of his arrest in Nairobi.
The regime, however, pushed back against the criticism, saying Mr Kanu was only “intercepted” in order to bring him to justice, four years after fleeing Nigeria while on court bail.
His lawyers also rejected the government’s argument, saying Mr Kanu fled because his home was invaded and dozens of his relatives shot dead by Nigerian soldiers in September 2017,
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
World
Attorney-general says Australia facing ‘crisis’ of male violence, urges men to stop attacks on women
In a speech at a family violence event on Friday, Mark Dreyfus called on men in Australia to step up and prevent violence against women.
Africa
ECOWAS allocates $25 million to fight terrorism in Nigeria, Mali, others
“Out of a fund of $25 million intended for the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, Burkina, Mali and Niger, ECOWAS has reserved $4 million for humanitarian actions,
States
Kwara targets 1.5 million children for polio vaccination
The executive secretary also added that the Wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999, and Wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020.
World
Turkish president urges Western countries to respond to Israel’s killings of Palestinians
The Turkish president said an immediate and lasting ceasefire must be achieved as soon as possible in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
World
Blinken backs Israel’s security, says tensions must be defused
Mr Blinken did not confirm an alleged attack by Israel on Iran overnight and said only that the U.S. was not involved in any offensive operations.
States
Police arraign 37-year-old man over illegal possession of pistol
Mr Ibrahim alleged that the defendant unlawfully possessed the pistol, which he could not give a satisfactory account of.
