Kanu’s rendition: Court reserves ruling for October 27

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State  capital, has reserved judgement for October 27, 2022 for in the suit brought by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the federal government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the federation.

Justice Evelyn Anyadike, presiding, announced the date after the Counsel to the plaintiff and repondents had addressed the court.

In the suit, known as extraordinary rendition, Kanu, through his lead Counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, is seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights which he said, was abused  during his illegal abduction in Kenya in 2021 by agents of the respondents.

Kanu was represented in court by Ejimakor and  other Lawyers, while the federal government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the federation were represented by Simon Enoch and A.H. Shuaib, when the case came up for hearing Tuesday, October 4, 2022.

Ejimakor told the Court that his client’s abduction in Kenya in 2021 was unlawful, illegal, and total abuse of his fundamental  human rights as enshrined in Article 12 (4) of the African Chatter which has been domesticated by Nigeria.

The Lawyer prayed the Court to declare Kanu’s arrest and detention as unlawful and to order the respondents to release his client unconditionally.

He also challenged the respondents to avail the Court with documents permitting the arrest or abduction of Kanu from Kenya.

 But Counsel to the federal government and the Attorney-General of the federation, Simon Enoch, urged the Federal High Court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the same matter had  on January 9, 2022, been decided by Abia State High Court presided by Justice P.Anya.

However, Barr. Ejimakor argued that the case earlier decided by Justice Anya of the Abia State High Court was different from the present suit before the Federal High Court.

According to Ejimakor, the extraordinary rendition case is seeking to declare the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya and his abusive transfer to Nigeria  as unlawful and total abuse of his fundamental human rights while the case decided by Abia State High Court dealt on September 2017 invasion of Nnamdi Kanu’s family house in Afara, Umuahia by military officers allegedly  sent by federal government.

He also raised the alarm over the deteriorating health conditions of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is being detained at the Directorate of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja. “My Lord, My Client is gravely ill in detention,” Ejimakor told the Court.

Speaking to Journalists after the Court sitting, Ejimakor explained that the Suit is regarded as being of a special class and primarily aimed at redressing the alleged infamous unlawful expulsion or extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu, which is a clear violation of his fundamental rights under Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, as well as Chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution.

He added that his client expects justice on October 27, noting that in the event of granting any of the prayers by the Federal High Court, Kanu is entitled to financial compensations as spelt out by the Nigerian constitution on abuse of peoples fundamental human rights.

During the court session, the High Court room was filled to the brim with Journalists  and lawyers.

Members of Kanu’s family and those of the Jewish religion; as well as his supporters, were in the Federal High Court to express their support for their detained leader.

There was tight security around the Court premises as two high profile matters were handled by the federal high Court same Tuesday.

Armed Police men drafted from the Crack Squad team of the Nigeria Police were stationed at the entrance of the Court.

The road leading to the Court, Zone 9 Headquarters and the State House of Assembly hitherto blocked, had security operatives at the area who searched people coming to the court thoroughly before they were allowed to go in.

The heavy security and searching led to  traffic gridlock along the road which leads to Zone 9 Police Headquarters as well as the House of Assembly, even as motorists heading to other major government offices, including the CBN, INEC and the state Electoral Commission, among others, were caught in the traffic situation. Because IPOB had earlier announced that sit-at-home would not be enforced because of the court case, many residents of Umuahia went about their normal businesses, unhindered