Nnamdi Kanu only discharged, not acquitted – FG
Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has said the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu was discharged but not acquitted by the court of appeal.
Reacting to the judgment by the appeal court, Thursday night, the special assistant to Malami on media and public relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, said in a statement that Kanu has other pre-rendition cases to answer.
He said, “Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public.
“The decision handed down by the court of appeal was on a single issue that borders on rendition.
“Let it be made clear to the general public that other issues that predates rendition on the basis of which Kanu jumped bail remain valid issues for judicial determination.
The federal government will consider all available options open to us on the judgment on rendition while pursuing determination of pre-rendition issues.”
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja ordered the Kanu on Thursday. The order came in a judgement on an appeal by Nnamdi Kanu seeking dismissal of the remaining seven-count charge filed against him by the federal government.
A three-man panel of the court said the Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to try him in view of his abduction and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria in flagrant violation of the OAU convention and protocol on extradition.
The court held that the 15-count charge preferred against Kanu did not disclose the place, date, time and nature of the alleged offences before being unlawfully extradited to Nigeria in clear violation of international treaties.
The court further held that the Federal Government failed to disclose where Nnamdi Kanu was arrested despite the grave allegations against him.
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