Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a request by the leader of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for the restoration of his revoked bail and removal from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Kanu had sought either house arrest or prison custody instead of remaining in DSS detention.
But, Justice Nyako stated that the request lacked merit, noting that Kanu had previously jumped bail and fled the country. She emphasised that the sureties who had initially stood for Kanu had applied to be discharged, as they could not locate him and were unaware of his whereabouts.
“The only option left for Kanu is to go to the Court of Appeal,” Justice Nyako said, advising Kanu to proceed to the appellate court to exercise his right of appeal.
The judge also disagreed with Kanu’s lead counsel’s assertion that the Supreme Court had ruled that Kanu’s earlier bail should not have been revoked.
“I have perused the Supreme Court judgment copy and did not see the claim of the lawyer,” the Judge added.
Kanu has repeatedly insisted that he should not stand trial in any Nigerian court. He argued that any attempt to put him on trial would breach Nigeria’s Constitution and international laws.
In a heated exchange, Kanu berated the Federal Government’s prosecutor, Gboyega Awomolo, SAN, accusing him of perpetrating an act of illegality. “I cannot be tried in Nigeria because the Supreme Court has declared my forceful rendition from Kenya an act of illegality,” Kanu declared.
He further accused Awomolo of conducting a trial in violation of an international treaty that Nigeria had entered into. “Anything you do on the contrary is an act of terrorism,” Kanu stated, describing Awomolo as “a terrorist and a dishonest man.”
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