In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered the resumption of the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on terrorism charges. The case, initiated in 2015, had faced a hiatus following the dismissal of charges by the Court of Appeal in October 2022. The Supreme Court, led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, declared on Friday that the forced repatriation of Mr Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria was illegal.
The Court of Appeal’s decision to dismiss the charges had been based on the perceived illegality of Mr Kanu’s extradition. However, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, clarified that there is no Nigerian law prohibiting the use of illegally obtained evidence in a defendant’s trial. The lead judgement, prepared by Tijjani Abubakar and read by Emmanuel Agim, asserted that the Federal High Court had the jurisdiction to continue Mr Kanu’s trial.
Despite acknowledging the illegality of Mr Kanu’s repatriation, the Supreme Court ruled that it did not strip the trial court of its jurisdiction. This decision effectively overturns the previous order for Mr Kanu’s release from detention, reigniting the legal proceedings against him.
The backdrop of this legal saga involves Mr Kanu’s repatriation from Kenya after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered his arrest for breaching bail conditions in 2017. The Court of Appeal had initially dismissed the terrorism and treasonable felony charges in October 2022, citing the breach of local and international laws in Mr Kanu’s forced return to Nigeria.
The legal twists and turns continue, with the Supreme Court’s decision now propelling the trial forward. It underscores the complex interplay between legalities, international relations, and the pursuit of justice in high-profile cases like Mr Kanu’s.
Source: Premium Times