The legal team representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has submitted nine judgements to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The documents, submitted on Thursday, call for Kanu’s release.
Barrister Nnaemeka Ejiofor, leader of Kanu’s legal team, spoke to journalists, explaining the move as a response to recent comments by the AGF. Malami had reportedly stated he was unaware of Kanu’s case and that the courts would determine his fate.
According to him, “It seems obvious that some persons who ought to have brought your good attention to these judicial developments may have deliberately hidden them from you to prevent you from seeing to the enforcement of the judgment as well as to prevent Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu from taking a positive step in the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
The submitted judgements include: the African Union African Commission On Human and People’s Right Communication 680/17; the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights of 1st October, 2020 with Reference AL NGA 5/2020 (Proscription of IPOB); United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights of 26th August, 2021 with Reference UA NGA 5/2021 (Enforced disappearance and Torture of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu);
Others are the judgment of the High Court of Abia State Umuahia Division of 19 January 2022, HIN/FR.14/2021; the United Nations Human Rights Council working Group on Arbitrary Detention opinion of 30th March – 8th April 2022 opinion no 25/2022; the judgment of the Federal High Court Umuahia Division of 26th October, 2022, FHC/UM/CS/30/2022; the judgment of the High Court of Enugu State of 26 October, 2023, E/20/2023; the judgment of the court of appeal of 13th October, 2022 with Appeal No CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022 and the judgment of the Supreme Court of 15th December, 2023 with Appeal No SC/CR/1361/2022.
Kanu has been detained since his repatriation from Kenya in June 2021. He faces terrorism charges, which he contends violate international treaties Nigeria has ratified.
During a recent ministerial briefing, the AGF acknowledged the complexity of Kanu’s case, emphasizing that only a court can determine the outcome.
Kanu’s lawyers, however, believe the submitted judgements provide a clear legal basis for his release.
