S’court overturns a’court verdict, orders continuation of Nnamdi Kanu’s trial

The supreme court has ordered the continuation of the “terrorism” trial against Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The five-member panel of the apex court made the ruling on Friday.

Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was extradited from Kenya on June 19, 2021.

Subsequently, the federal government filed terrorism charges against him.

In April 2022, Binta Nyako, a federal high court judge in Abuja, struck out eight of the 15 counts in the charge.

The remaining seven counts were later quashed by the court of appeal on October 13, 2022, with the judge ordering Kanu’s release.

However, on October 28, 2022, the court of appeal granted a stay of execution on its verdict discharging Kanu, after the federal government filed an appeal at the supreme court.

Delivering judgment on Friday, the apex court reversed the verdict of the appeal court.

In a unanimous decision, the five-member panel of the apex court held that even though the federal government acted “irresponsibly” by forcefully bringing Kanu back to the country from Kenya, there is no legislation that prevents the trial court from continuing with the case.