The arrested leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, had his appeal accepted by the Court of Appeal on Thursday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The contested group’s leader was likewise released from custody and found not guilty by the court.
In his appeal dated April 29 and designated CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022, Kanu requested to be released and found not guilty. After being initially charged on December 23, 2015, Kanu was eventually released on bail on April 25, 2017.
However, the Court of Appeal on Thursday declared as illegal and unlawful, the abduction Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria and quashed the entire terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government’s forced rendition of Kanu to Nigeria, according to the Appellate Court, violated all national and international laws, rendering the terrorism allegations against him inadmissible and illegal.
The Federal Government’s accusations against Kanu were thrown out and set aside by the Appeal Court in a decision by Justice Oludotun Adebola.
The Appellate Court then decided to clear Kanu of the charges.
Justice Adebola held that failure of Nigeria to follow due process by way of Extradition was fatal to the charges against Kanu.
The Appeal Court further held that the failure of the Federal Government to disclose where and when the alleged offences were committed was also fatal to the terrorism charges and made them liable to dismissal.
Reacting to the judgment, Kanu’s lawyer and human rights activist, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on his Facebook page on Thursday, said Kanu won at last.
