The Federal High Court Abuja has adjourned indefinitely the trial of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu in the terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
Recall that, the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday October 13, declared as illegal and unlawful, the abduction of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra(IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria and quashed the entire terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
The Appellate court said that the Federal Government having flagrantly breached the fundamental rights of Kanu, lost the legal right to put him on trial.
The court held that laws are meant to be obeyed and Fedaral Government has no reason to have taken laws into their own hand in the illegal and unlawful way the matter of Nnamdi was handled.
Appeal Court further held that the failure of the Federal Government to disclose where and when the alleged offences brought against Kanu were committed was fatal to the terrorism charges and made them liable to dismissal.
Again, on 11th November, Federal Government files 7 count amended charges against Nnamdi Kanu .
However, a report by Vanguard, said in the freshly amended charge the Federal Government specifically alleged that Kanu, who is currently in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS), had as a member of an unlawful group, in a broadcast that was received and heard across Nigeria, issued a deadly threat that anyone who flouted his sit-at-home order in the South Eastern part of the country, should write his or her Will.
And that as a result of the threat; Banks, Schools, Markets, Shopping Malls, and Fuel Stations domiciled in the Eastern States of Nigeria, have continued to shut down their businesses, with citizens and vehicular movements grounded.
The charge further alleged that Kanu had on different dates between 2018 and 2021, made broadcasts that were received and heard in Nigeria, inciting members of the public to hunt and kill Nigerian security personnel and their family members, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.
On the 14th of November 2022,Justice Binta Nyako put off the trial sine die at the instance of Kanu pending the resolution of the Federal Government’s appeal against the October 13 judgment of the Court of Appeal that discharged him from the terrorism charges.
The Federal Government’s appeal seeking reversal of the Court of Appeal judgment is pending before the Supreme Court.
Two other cases billed for hearing before the court were also put off indefinitely for the same reason.
Meanwhile, Kanu refused to appear before the Federal High Court on Monday.
The refusal to honour the high court was conveyed to Justice Nyako by the Federal Government’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar.
He informed the court that all entreaties made to persuade Kanu to have a change of heart were rebuffed.
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