Kanu’s Lawyers Submit 9 Judgements To AGF, Demand His Release

The legal team representing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has submitted nine judgements on the matter to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The leader of the team, Barrister Nnaemeka Ejiofor, informed journalists on Thursday that the judgements were issued by both domestic and international courts, ordering Kanu’s release.

He explained that the decision to forward all the pronouncements was in response to a statement attributed to the AGF, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), claiming he was unaware of Kanu’s case and that his fate would be determined by the court.

“It seems obvious that some persons who ought to have brought your good attention to these judicial developments may have deliberately hidden them from you as to prevent you from seeing to the enforcement of the judgment as well prevent Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu from taking a positive step in the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Ejiofor said.

The judgements include the following:

1. The African Union African Commission On Human and People’s Rights Communication 680/17.

2. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights dated 1st October 2020, with Reference AL NGA 5/2020 (Proscription of IPOB).

3. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights dated 26th August 2021, with Reference UA NGA 5/2021 (Enforced Disappearance and Torture of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu).

Additional judgements are:

4. The High Court of Abia State, Umuahia Division judgement of 19th January 2022, HIN/FR.14/2021.

5. The United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention opinion dated 30th March – 8th April 2022, opinion no 25/2022.

6. The Federal High Court, Umuahia Division judgement of 26th October 2022, FHC/UM/CS/30/2022.

7. The High Court of Enugu State judgement of 26th October 2023, E/20/2023.

8. The Court of Appeal judgement of 13th October 2022, with Appeal No CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022.

9. The Supreme Court judgement of 15th December 2023, with Appeal No SC/CR/1361/2022.

Kanu has been in detention since his June 2021 extradition from Kenya, where he was rearraigned on terrorism-related allegations.

At the last Federal High Court hearing in Abuja on May 20, Kanu protested his continued trial on terrorism charges, asserting it was in violation of international treaties Nigeria had entered into.

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, declared the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as particularly challenging and one that only a competent court of law can resolve.

Naija News reports that this statement came during the Sectoral Ministerial Briefing marking the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.