On Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the request to release Nnamdi Kanu, the controversial leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from detention. According to reports from DAILY POST, the judgment, delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim but authored by Justice Garba Lawal, invalidated and set aside the Court of Appeal’s decision last October, which had ordered Kanu’s release and dismissed the terrorism charges against him.
The Supreme Court maintained that, despite the Nigerian government’s reckless and unlawful extradition of Kanu from Kenya, such actions did not deprive any court of the authority to proceed with the trial. Justice Lawal emphasized that the lawsuit seeking Kanu’s release based solely on the unlawful abduction from Kenya did not cite any Nigerian law. He added that the appropriate remedy for such an act is for Kanu to file a civil case against it, rather than stripping the courts of their power to continue with his trial for alleged criminal charges.
As a result, the apex court instructed Kanu to defend himself against the remaining seven counts of terrorism charges. Further details will be provided later.