Nigerian Court Declines To Entertain Further Charges Against IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Pending Supreme Court Ruling On Bail

By

 


The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to entertain any further charge against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, pending the Supreme Court’s ruling on his bail. 

Justice Binta Nyako said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain any further charge against Kanu, in view of the judgment of the Court of Appeal which was in favour of Kanu.

This was stated in a statement made available on Monday by IPOB’s lead counsel, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq.

He noted that the court ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to continue to sit on Kanu’s case because of its earlier judgement on his bail. 

The statement reads: “The Court per His lordship Hon. Justice Binta Nyako is in agreement with us that it lacks the jurisdiction to entertain any further charge against Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in view of the landmark judgment of the Court of Appeal.

“The matter was consequently adjourned sine die pending the outcome of the appeal at the Supreme Court.

“We are winning! Supreme Court here we come!

“No going back on ONYENDU’s freedom.

“Our appeal to set aside the order staying the execution of Onyendu’s judgment will be fixed for hearing any moment from now.”

It was gathered on how the Appeal Court ruled in October that the rendition of Kanu from Kenya was illegal and therefore ordered that he should be discharged and acquitted.

The court was ruling in the appeal filed by Kanu, challenging the criminal charges against him.

Kanu had been re-arraigned before a Federal High Court on amended 15 counts bordering on treasonable felony preferred against him by the Nigerian government.

However, on April 8, Justice Binta Nyako struck out eight of the 15 counts.

While ruling on the preliminary objection seeking to quash the charges, the judge said counts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 had not disclosed any offence against the defendant (Kanu).

The charges that were struck out below are as follows: “Count 6: Made broadcasts to attack officers of the Nigeria Police Force; Count 7: Made broadcasts in which he incited members of the public to hunt and attack officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Count 8: Made broadcasts in which he directed members of the IPOB to manufacture bombs; Count 9: Made broadcasts on diverse dates in furtherance of terrorism against the Nigeria state and with intent to destabilize the fundamental political and economic structures of Nigeria, incited members of the public to stop the Anambra governorship election.

“Count 10: Incited members of the public to destroy public facilities. Count 11: Threatened members of the public not to come out on 31st May, 2021. Count 12: Made broadcasts with the intention to incite members of the public to stage a violent revolution in furtherance of acts of terrorism. Count 14: Directed members of the public to destroy the public transport system in Lagos, resulting in major economic loss to the governor.”

Nyako had said that counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 15 showed some allegations, which the defendant had to answer.

However, Kanu through his team of lawyers led by Mike Ozekhome (SAN), filed an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022, praying the court to quash the remaining seven counts for being devoid of merit.

The appeal equally prayed the court to order his release on bail, pending the determination of his appeal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

[PHOTOS] “Religion Has Happened To Me” - Man Mourns His Wife And Daughter Who Died In Stampede During Abia Catholic Church Procession

By
Image
A Nigerian man named Peter Ukaegbu, has mourned the loss of his wife, Emmanuella Chizoba, and their daughter, Onyinyechi Prisca, who tragically died in the stampede at Christ the King Cathedral (CKC) in Aba, Abia State. The mother, daughter and three other worshippers were trampled to d3ath, with about 13 children hospitalised, following the stampede which occurred during the annual Christ the King procession on Sunday, November 25, 2024.  The incident is believed to have occurred due to the overcrowding of the Christ the King Cathedral, as security men were alleged to have locked the gates of the church. In a heart-wrenching post on Facebook, Ukaegbu revealed that he and his wife had planned to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary in Port Harcourt on November 30. “We would have been in P.H.C celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary today as we planned up to 23rd November, 2024. You woke up on Sunday morning with my adorable daughter who doubles as my second wife, cooked, bath ...
Read more

World Bank Set To Approve Another $500 Million Loan For Nigeria Which Is 10th Disbursement Under Tinubu

By
Image
  The Board of the World Bank Group met on Friday 13th of December, to approve a new loan request from the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government. This time, the country is seeking a $500million loan to boost rural access and agricultural marketing in the country. The loan sought by the government is targeted for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project—Scale Up. Further details of the proposed loan shows an intent to bridge the gap between rural communities and the broader marketplace, facilitating smoother access to agricultural markets, schools, and hospitals and promoting social cohesion among rural populations. According to the documents on the loan, states willing to participate in the project are required to have a fully functional Roads Fund and Roads Agency with appointed boards and staff, and provisions for administrative costs in the state budget. The document noted,  “While the eligibility for state participation under RAAMP required the drafting ...
Read more

Pastor Publishes Own Obituary To Escape N3 Million Debt Repayment In Ondo State

By
Image
  Ondo State Magistrate Court has remanded a 43-year-old clergyman, Paul Oyewole, for allegedly publishing his obituary on social media to evade the N3 million debt payment he owed one of his church members. Oyewole reportedly obtained the sum of N3m from Emmanuel Boyede, alleging that he would pay back the money within seven days. Police Prosecutor, Moremi Akao, told the court that the accused falsely published and posted his obituary on WhatsApp after sending a fake bank alert to his creditor. And alleged to have threatened the creditor on the phone.’ “He committed the offence between the 25th of November, 2021, and the 7th of May, 2022, in the Valentino area of Ondo town, punishable under Sections 419, 86, and 125A(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006,” Akao said. The cleric pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him. The defendant’s counsel, Arokoyo Queen, applied for the cleric bail in the most liberal terms, promising he wou...
Read more

IBADAN STAMPEDE: “35 Dead Bodies Recovered, Six In Critical Condition” – Police

By
Image
  The Oyo State Police Command have revealed the number of dead that have been recovered in the deadly Ibadan stampede.   The police said no fewer than 35 bodies of minors, who were killed in the Ibadan stampede have been recovered.   The Police Public Relations Officer of the state, SP Osifeso Adewale, who confirmed this in a statement on Thursday, said about six minors who sustained severe injuries during the incident, are in critical condition. “So far (35) thirty-five minors have been documented dead while (6) six others are critically injured and on various medical interventions,”  he said.   Recall that a funfair organized by the former Queen of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Shikemi at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, had resulted in stampede, leading to the tragic incident.   The Oyo State Police Command said that eight persons involved in sponsoring the event had since been arrested.   The Police spokesman said those arrested incl...
Read more

West Ham Star, Michail Antonio Involved In A Serious Car Accident

By
Image
  Michail Antonio, the West Ham striker, was involved in a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon in the Essex area. The Jamaican footballer is said to be in a stable condition and "conscious and communicating" while under close supervision at a central London hospital. West Ham issued the statement confirming the forward, 34, had been involved in an accident after images emerged of a smashed Ferrari. In a statement, West Ham said Antonio is  "currently under close supervision at a central London hospital". The Premier League club added:  "At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. "The club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course." Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it attended the scene of the accident in Epping on Saturday afternoon and released a man trapped in his car. "Crews were called at 1.02pm this afternoon after reports of...
Read more

Girlfriend Shoots Policeman To Death In Imo State

By
Image
A policeman attached to the Imo State Police Command, Cosmas Ugwu, has been shot dead by his girlfriend. Ugwu was shot dead on Tuesday by his 23-year-old lover, who was identified as Amanda Uchechi Ugo, a native of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. It was gathered from reliable sources that the incident occurred around 6:30pm on Boxing Day at the Ezinihitte Area Command. Officers on counter duty were said to have heard three gunshots from the room being occupied by the deceased officer. “ When police officers ran into the room to see what was going on, they found Corporal Ugwu lying in a pool of his blood. The girl shot him three times on his chest and his left hand. He was rushed immediately to Evergreen Hospital in Ezinihitte, where he was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty,” a source told newsmen in a chat on Wednesday. It was also gathered that the deceased had a serious fight with his girlfriend, and in the course of the altercation, the girl reached for his rif...
Read more

28 Years After, Federal Government Redeems House Pledge To Late Stephen Keshi

By
Image
  The Federal Government on Thursday, has handed over the Certificate of Occupancy and other land documents to late Stephen Keshi and 14 other members of the 1994 Super Eagles Team. The Sport’s Legend was gifted a three-bedroom flat in Delta State. According to a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Blessing Lere-Adams, the handing-over ceremony was done at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, on Thursday in Abuja. It will be recalled that President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) early this year promised to gift houses to twenty-two members of the 1994 Super Eagles Team from the housing units under the National Housing Programme in any state of their choice. At the handover ceremony, Director, Public Building and Housing, Solomon Labafilo, who handed over the C of O on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, assured that the remaining nine members will receive their homes soon. addition to the entitled C of O as well. He...
Read more