Biafra

JUST IN: Court fixes new date to decide on Nnmadi Kanu’s bail application

Published

10 months ago

February 26, 2024

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed March 19, 2024, to rule on the fresh bail application filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu on Monday moved a fresh application for his bail in the treasonable felony charges filed against him by the Nigerian Government.

Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor argued that the IPOB leader should be granted bail because of his ill health.

But the prosecuting team led by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who replaced David Kaswe, a lawyer with the Federal Ministry of Justice, urged the court to dismiss the bail application.

Awomolo argued that the Department of State Services (DSS) has the medical facilities required to take care of the IPOB leader.

The judge subsequently adjourned ruling on the bail application to March 19, 2024.

“We thought we were going to have a ruling today but his lordship was of the opinion that the ruling had to wait until the 19th of March, 2024,” one of Kanu’s lawyers told journalists outside the courtroom.

He said by that time, the judge would have decided whether to grant bail or not.

The Court of Appeal had discharged and acquitted Kanu in October 2022.

The appellate court also declared illegal and unlawful, the rendition of Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria and quashed the entire terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

However, the federal government appealed the judgment at the apex court.

The Supreme Court in its judgement on December 15, 2023, ordered the continuation of the trial of Kanu on terrorism charges.

The court held that there is no law in the country stopping a trial based on the violation of the rights of a suspect.

Kanu has been in DSS detention since June 2021 when he was repatriated from Kenya to Nigeria.