TROUBLE! Nnamdi Kanu Breaks Silence from Prison, Makes Urgent DEMAND After Simon Ekpa’s Arrest; SEE What He Said
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has formally requested an extension of time from the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge a 2021 ruling by the Federal High Court, which ordered his detention. The motion was filed by Kanu’ s legal team, led by Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, who made the announcement on Thursday.
Kanu, who was arrested in Kenya in June 2021, was presented before a court in Nigeria on June 29, 2021, under controversial circumstances. His legal team has argued that the proceedings leading to his detention were unconstitutional, primarily because the court hearing was conducted without prior notice to his legal representatives, who were well- known to the court. This lack of notice and the manner in which the proceedings were conducted have been the core issues raised in Kanu’ s application for an extension of time.
Ejimakor highlighted that the court hearing was held in secrecy, and Kanu was detained without being heard in violation of his legal rights. According to the motion, Kanu’ s detention order was made without granting him the opportunity to contest the charges, which violates constitutional provisions concerning the right to a fair hearing.
The application for an extension of time to file an appeal aims to address the ruling made by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in the case titled Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/201 between Kanu and the Nigerian government. The appeal is also prompted by the fact that the deadline for filing an appeal has passed.
The motion further points out that Kanu was committed to the custody of the State Security Services (SSS) rather than to a prison facility, which, according to his legal counsel, was an illegal act. They refer to Section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015, which stipulates that when a defendant is admitted to bail and certain circumstances arise, the Attorney- General of the Federation must apply to the court for the cancellation of the bail, giving the defendant an opportunity to be heard before any detention order is made.
Kanu’ s legal team has also sought an order from the Court of Appeal to set aside the order of remand made by the Federal High Court on June 29, 2021. Additionally, they are requesting the court to admit Kanu to bail either under the same conditions that were previously granted or with an increased bail amount. In the alternative, they are asking the court to reverse the decision to hold Kanu in the custody of the SSS, instead requesting that he be committed to a prison facility.
The appeal has sparked significant legal debate, with Kanu’ s supporters arguing that the case is emblematic of broader concerns over human rights and judicial fairness in Nigeria. They contend that Kanu’ s detention and the circumstances surrounding his court appearance have been politically motivated, with his legal team claiming that the IPOB leader’ s rights were systematically violated.
Kanu’ s detention has attracted both local and international attention, with calls for his release from human rights organizations and his supporters, who argue that his continued detention violates both national and international law. The outcome of the appeal will likely have significant implications for Nigeria’ s legal landscape, particularly regarding the treatment of political detainees and the protection of fundamental rights.
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