The Supreme Court of Nigeria has scheduled Thursday, October 5, 2023, for the hearing of two separate appeals filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The appeals are marked SC/CR/1394/2022, NNAMDI KANU V. FED. REP OF NIGERIA, and SC/CR/1391/2023, FED. REP OF NIG VS NNAMDI KANU.
Lead counsel Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, confirmed the hearing date. The appeals were previously successful at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal. In October 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged Kanu of the 15 counts charge against him, barring any further arrest, detention, and trial related to the existing charges.
Despite the appellate court’s judgment, Kanu has remained in solitary confinement at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility nearly a year after being discharged. The Federal Government appealed against the judgment at the Supreme Court, leading to the stay of the appellate court’s decision.
The hearing at the Supreme Court is crucial for determining Kanu’s fate and addressing the continued violation of court orders regarding his release and trial. The legal proceedings highlight the ongoing legal and human rights concerns surrounding Kanu’s detention and the broader issues related to the IPOB movement.
