The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing in the suit filed by the Indigenous People of Biafra demanding the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to September 14.’
The group had approached the court on November 3, 2022, with a lawsuit challenging the continued detention of its leader who was arrested in July 2021.
The self-determination agitator had filed an appeal at the apex court against the Court of Appeal’s verdict stopping his release from the DSS custody. Kanu appealed against the Oct. 28, 2022 decision of the appellate court, which stayed the execution of its earlier order acquitting him of all charges and directing his release from the custody of the secret police.
Prior to the hearing, Kanu’s Special Counsel had urged the Supreme Court to ensure justice in the trial of his client. A statement from his lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, announcing the lawsuit back in November reads in part;
“We have appealed to the Supreme Court, to set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal, staying the execution of the court’s judgment discharging him, and placing a further bar to any further detention and prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu on any charge/indictment before any court in Nigeria.
Recall that on October 28, 2022, a three-person panel of Learned Justices of the Court of Appeal (Abuja Judicial Division), granted an application for the stay of execution of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, pending the determination of the appeal filed before the Supreme Court by the Federal Government.
After a thorough review of the said ruling by our defence team, eminently led by foremost leading Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), an informed decision was taken by the erudite Senior Advocate, and the entire team, that the said ruling, which has no foundation in law or facts, placed before the court, should be immediately appealed against, for it to be set aside by the Apex Court.
Our well-informed position was given a final nod by our indefatigable client, Nnamdi Kanu, during my last visit to him. We therefore, by this medium, inform the general public, and Umuchineke in particular, that we have filed an appeal against the said ruling of the Court of Appeal delivered on October 28, 2022, and will proactively follow up on the administrative process to ensure that both appeals are given accelerated hearings in line with the extant fast-track rules of the Supreme Court.”
