The Supreme Court will rule tomorrow, December 15, on an appeal seeking to compel the Federal Government to free Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from incarceration.
After counsel for both the Federal Government and the arrested IPOB leader adopted their final briefs of argument, a five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun set the date in October.
While Kanu Agabi led the IPOB leader’s legal team, Mike Ozehkome made his appeal to the Supreme Court panel. Ozehkome asked the court not only to order his client’s immediate release from detention, but also to impose very substantial and punitive costs against the Federal Government.
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Tijani Gazzali, counsel for the Federal Government, requested the Supreme Court in his submission to uphold the modified brief of argument he filed on May 3, 2023.
Gazzali asked the court to allow FG’s appeal, to overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision ordering Kanu’s release, and to reopen his trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges.
Gazzali also asked the Supreme Court to dismiss Kanu’s cross-appeal. Kanu was ordered released from detention by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on October 13, 2022.
According to the Court, he was kidnapped, ill-treated, and “illegally moved” from Kenya to Nigeria to face treason and terrorism allegations.
The criminal case was dismissed by the judges, but Nigerian prosecutors appealed, and Kanu has remained in detention since.