The Supreme Court is set to announce its decision today regarding the fate of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The highly anticipated judgement will determine whether Kanu will be released or remain in custody.
The date for the announcement was scheduled for October, after lawyers from both sides presented their final arguments. Chief Mike Ozehkome, Kanu’s attorney, argued for his client’s immediate release and requested “heavy and punitive costs” against the government. On the other hand, Tijani Gazzali, representing the government, urged the court to uphold the amended brief he filed earlier this year. He requested the dismissal of the Court of Appeal’s judgement ordering Kanu’s release and the resumption of his trial on terrorism charges.
In 2015, a former London estate agent and radio host was arrested on charges of treason and terrorism. He then escaped while on bail and left the country, only to resurface in the UK and Israel. In 2021, he was forcefully returned to Nigeria in a highly debated operation that the Court of Appeal declared “illegal.”
The event marked a significant turning point, as in October 2022, a groundbreaking judgement was made ordering the release of Kanu. However, the government’s appeal has prevented his release, keeping him in prison.
