The Supreme Court, on Friday, nullified the judgment of Court of Appeal that ordered the Federal Government to release the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
Though the apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of Justices, acknowledged that FG acted “irresponsibly” when it forcefully brought Kanu back to the country from Kenya, against all known laws, however, it held that it was not enough to divest the trial court of its jurisdiction to continue with the case.
It held that there is no legislation in the country that stripped the trial court of the jurisdiction to go ahead with Kanu’s case, despite the illegal action that FG took against him.
In the judgement that was prepared by Justice Garba Mohammed but read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court held that the remedy open for Kanu was for him to institute a civil action against the government.
The court however slammed FG, saying it must be conscious of its image, both locally and internationally, even as it knocked the trial court for revoking Kanu’s bail after he escaped to save his life following the invasion of his home by security agents.
The apex court subsequently ordered that Kanu should go and defend himself in the remaining 7 counts of terrorism charges against him.
The IPOB leader, who was first arrested by security agents in Lagos on October 14, 2015, has been in detention since June 29, 2021
