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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

IPOB questions continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu

From Vanguard · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • The Indigenous People of Biafra questioned the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and urged Nigeria’s Court of Appeal to hear his pending appeal.
  • IPOB argued that Kanu was convicted under a repealed terrorism law and said the federal government had not filed its response within the required period.
  • The group called for the legal issues to be resolved through due process and applicable Nigerian law.

The Indigenous People of Biafra has challenged the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and demanded that the Court of Appeal list and hear his pending appeal.

In a statement issued by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB questioned the legal basis of Kanu’s conviction. The group argued that the trial relied on the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, which it said had been repealed.

“Nigeria is not wrestling with a difficult point of law in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” IPOB said. “The Federal Government convicted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, which had been repealed.”

Nigeria is not wrestling with a difficult point of law in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The Federal Government convicted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, which had been repealed.

· Emma PowerfulIPOB argued that Kanu’s conviction relied on legislation it says was no longer in force.

The group also claimed that the federal government had not filed its response within the period allowed for submitting its brief. “Till date, Nigerian government has filed nothing in the Court of Appeal. The time allowed for them to file their response has expired. No brief. No defence. And the Court of Appeal has refused to list the case,” it said.

IPOB cited the Supreme Court decision in State v. Egigia (2024) in support of its argument about the use of repealed legislation. It said the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, including its savings and transitional provisions, was the applicable law.

The group urged the Court of Appeal to determine the legal questions in Kanu’s case and allow him to exhaust available legal avenues against his conviction. IPOB also referred to the appellate court’s October 13, 2022 judgment concerning Kanu and subsequent proceedings, arguing that the court had previously handled the matter promptly. It called for the appeal to be heard and resolved under Nigerian law.

Till date, Nigerian government has filed nothing in the Court of Appeal. The time allowed for them to file their response has expired. No brief. No defence. And the Court of Appeal has refused to list the case.

· Emma PowerfulIPOB alleged that the federal government had not filed its response and urged the court to list the appeal.
About this summary

Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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