CJN Didn’t Order Nnamdi Kanu’s Release — NJC

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has dismissed reports claiming that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has ordered the immediate release and repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to Kenya.

In a statement released on Thursday, the NJC described the report as false and a fabrication.

The Council clarified that the CJN has never been involved in Kanu’s case at any level.

“The Council wishes to state that the media report is false and a figment of the imagination of the writer, as there are no court proceedings, decisions, or judgments where such statements ascribed to His Lordship were made,” the statement read.

The NJC further emphasised that the CJN never presided over Kanu’s case at the Supreme Court, nor did she issue any directive regarding his release.

“The Council categorically emphasises that the Hon. CJN neither presided over any case of Kanu at the apex court, where jurisdiction issues were argued, nor made any such pronouncement.

“His Lordship, the Hon. CJN, never wrote any formal letter to the Kenya Government or Kenya High Commission apologizing on the issue of the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and his trial.

“The Council urges members of the public to disregard the fake story,” the statement, signed by NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, concluded.

Meanwhile, Kanu is set to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday to take a fresh plea in his ongoing trial for treasonable felony.

The case has been reassigned to Justice James Omotosho after the previous trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako recused herself following allegations of bias raised by Kanu.

His lead counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, earlier praised the CJN for what he described as a swift intervention in ensuring the reassignment of the case, despite initial reluctance from the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice John Tsoho.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return from the United Kingdom.

He was granted bail on health grounds in April 2017 after spending 18 months in detention but later fled the country following a military raid on his home in Umuahia, Abia State.

He was re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and was renditioned to Nigeria on June 27, 2021.

Since then, he has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

In April 2022, the trial court struck out eight of the 15 charges filed against him by the Federal Government, citing lack of substance.

The Court of Appeal later ordered his release and quashed the charges in October 2022.

However, the Federal Government challenged the ruling at the Supreme Court, which on December 15, 2023, overturned the appellate court’s decision and ruled that Kanu should stand trial on the remaining seven charges.