ABIA — The family of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is expressing their frustration with the Supreme Court’s delay in releasing the Certified True Copy (CTC) of its ruling on Kanu’s case.
On December 15, 2023, the Supreme Court overturned the Appeal Court’s decision to free Kanu from terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
Instead, the apex court ruled that Kanu should be tried in the appropriate court.
Kanunta Kanu, the head of the Kanu family, stated that the Supreme Court’s failure to release the CTC is hindering any further legal action the family may have pursued.
Kanu stated that the family conducted discreet investigations and discovered that the justices of the highest court who presided over the case had not yet signed the judgment, even though more than four weeks had passed since it was delivered.
He questioned why the Supreme Court justices would let the standard 14-day period pass without signing the judgment.
The Kanu family suspected foul play in the delay and believed that withholding the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment in the case of the IPOB leader demonstrated Nigeria’s failure to comply with its treaty obligations, which he considered to be an act of official terrorism.
“Unlawfully withholding the CTC in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has confirmed that Nigeria will not obey her treaty obligations,” he said.
“These justices, the presidency, and the Nigerian entity are officially terrorists according to the laws of Nigeria.”
Citing Section 2(3)(f) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, Kanu said, “In this Act, “act of terrorism” means an act wilfully performed with the intention of furthering an ideology, whether political, religious, racial, or ethnic, and which violates the provisions of any international treaty or resolution to which Nigeria is a party, subject to the provisions of Section 12 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; and Cap C23, LFN 2004.”
The family sought the Supreme Court’s release of the CTC in Kanu’s case so she might consider alternative choices.
