The Supreme Court has scheduled December 15 as the date for delivering its judgment on the appeal seeking the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from detention. The Court of Appeal had previously ordered the Federal Government to release Kanu in October 2022, a decision that led the government to take the case to the Supreme Court.
During the latest proceedings on Thursday, October 5, 2023, a five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun set the date for the judgment. Kanu's counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, urged the court to order the immediate release of his client and impose a heavy punitive cost on the Federal Government.
Ozekhome emphasized that Kanu had been in detention since June 29, 2021, despite the lower court's order for his release, and he should not be prosecuted again on the same counts.
In response, the Federal Government's lawyer requested the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment that ordered Kanu's release and called for the resumption of his trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges. The upcoming Supreme Court judgment will be closely watched, as it holds significant implications for Kanu's legal status and ongoing legal proceedings.
