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The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, has given conditions to stand trial for the charges preferred against him by the Nigerian government.
Kanu, through his lawyer, stated that he would only stand trial if the court grants him bail. The IPoB leader, whose proscribed group is seeking secession of the southeastern Nigeria states and parts of the south-south region, is facing treason charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
During the court hearing, Kanu’s lead lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, argued that his client’s restricted access to his lawyers at the State Security Service (SSS) detention facility has hindered his constitutional right to prepare for the case.
Ejimakor referenced the cases of Islamic cleric Sheik El-Zaky Zaky and former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, who were both put on house arrest to enable them to have unfettered access to their lawyers.
Kanu’s arrest order was issued in March 2019 after he jumped bail. He was re-arrested in Kenya in June 2021 and has since been in SSS custody in Abuja.
Ejimakor argued that the court’s revocation of Kanu’s bail was based on misrepresentation of facts by the Nigerian government, emphasizing that his client never breached any of the bail conditions until the soldiers raided his home, resulting in the loss of lives.
The prosecution lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, opposed Kanu’s conditions for trial, describing them as “frivolous, vexatious, and baseless.”
Awomolo reminded the court that it had previously denied Kanu bail and stated that the appropriate forum for his bail application was the Court of Appeal.
The judge adjourned the suit until 20 May for ruling. Kanu’s case has faced several delays due to preliminary issues regarding his bail and concerns about his health conditions, which his lawyer claims are deteriorating.
Background
Nnamdi Kanu was first apprehended in October in Lagos, Nigeria, after returning from the United Kingdom. He holds dual citizenship of Nigeria and the UK. Kanu was granted bail on medical grounds in April 2017 but stopped attending court proceedings after his home was invaded by the Nigerian military. He was subsequently rearrested and faced terrorism and treasonable felony charges.
The court dismissed some of the charges against him, but the Supreme Court overturned the appellate court decision and affirmed the validity of the charges. Since the case resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, there has been limited progress due to issues surrounding Kanu’s bail and concerns about his health.
This article was updated 7 months ago
