After the Supreme Court upheld the trial of Nnamdi Kanu on terrorism charges, his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, stated that he will promptly request bail for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Kanu’s legal team had expected the Supreme Court to support the Court of Appeal’s ruling in October 2022, which cleared him of all charges. However, the apex court overturned this decision, stating that although Kanu’s extradition from Kenya was illegal, it does not hinder his trial from moving forward.
“We shall proceed with a pace bail application to reinstate his bail in line with the ruling of the Supreme Court,” Ejimakor said to reporters, expressing his disappointment with the verdict.
The Supreme Court, through Justice Garba Lawal, has ruled that there is no Nigerian law that prevents the trial of a defendant, even if their extradition was unlawful.
Lawal stated that although Nnamdi Kanu, who is accused of terrorism and inciting violence by the Nigerian government, can pursue a separate civil case regarding his rendition, it does not hinder his ongoing trial.
Kanu’s Special Counsel, Ejimakor, criticised the Supreme Court’s position on the extraordinary rendition, claiming that it undermines the principle of a fair hearing.
“The Supreme Court justified its position on the theory that our jurisprudence has not developed to the point of recognising extraordinary rendition as a barrier to prosecution. That is so wrong,” he said, accusing the court of implying that Nigerian law is “primitive” and “retrograde.”
