The Supreme Court, on Thursday, fixed December 15, 2023, to deliver judgement on the appeal seeking the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
News About gathered that the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja had in a judgement delivered on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s release.
A three-member panel in a unanimous decision also quashed a 15-count terrorism charge that the Federal Government filed against the detained IPOB leader, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court.
At the proceedings on Thursday, a five-member panel of the apex court headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, fixed the matter for judgment after the parties involved in the case adopted their final briefs.
The counsel for Kanu, Mike Ozehkome, SAN, while adopting his final brief urged the court to order the immediate release Kanu from detention and in turn award a heavy punitive cost against the FG for detaining his client against he court’s order.
“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.
“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 stated.
On his part, the FG’s lawyer, Gazzali, SAN, prayed the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal which ordered Kanu’s release.
