Supreme Court to rule on Kanu’s appeal for release, Dec. 15
Supreme Court has fixed December 15, this year to rule on the appeal brought by lawyers of detained leader of pro-secession group in the South East region, the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nnmadi Kanu, praying the Federal Government to free him from custody of the Department of State Security (DSS).
A five-member panel of the apex court headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, agreed to hear the matter for judgment, after counsel for both government and the detained IPOB leader, adopted their final briefs of argument.
While the Nigerian government was represented by by an Acting Director of Civil Appeals at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. T. A. Gazzali, SAN, Kanu’s legal team was led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Kanu Agabi SAN.
Presenting his case for release of his client, Mr Mike Ozekhome, who stood in for Agabi, prayed the court to not only order the immediate release of his client from detention but to equally award a “very heavy and punitive cost” against the federal government.
“We urge my lords to uphold our Cross-Appeal to do substantial justice to this matter and to the Respondent who has been in detention since June 29, 2021, even after the lower court ordered his release and that he should never be prosecuted again on the same counts.
“They are still holding him unconstitutionally. We pray my lords to deliver justice and use this case, just like in Ojukwu vs. State, to demonstrate that no man or government should be above the law,” Ozehkome, SAN, pleaded.
However, in his submission, FG’s lawyer, Gazzali, SAN, urged the apex court to uphold the amended brief of argument he filed on May 3, 2023.
He prayed the court to allow FG’s appeal, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal which ordered Kanu’s release, and order the resumption of his trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges.
