Today, the Supreme Court is poised to deliver its verdict on the future of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
This eagerly awaited judgment will determine whether Kanu will be released or remain in custody.
The apex court scheduled this date in October, following the presentation of final arguments by lawyers on both sides. Chief Mike Ozehkome, representing Kanu, advocated for his client’s immediate release and sought “heavy and punitive costs” against the government. In contrast, Tijani Gazzali, representing the government, urged the court to uphold the amended brief filed earlier in the year. He requested the dismissal of the Court of Appeal’s judgment ordering Kanu’s release and the resumption of his trial on terrorism charges.
Nnamdi Kanu, a former London estate agent and radio host, was arrested in 2015 on charges of treason and terrorism. After jumping bail, he fled the country and reappeared in the UK and Israel. In 2021, a controversial operation brought him back to Nigeria, a move the Court of Appeal deemed “illegal.” The October 2022 landmark judgment ordered Kanu’s release, but the government’s appeal has kept him in detention.
