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Nnamdi Kanu Rejects Trial Below ‘Corrupt and Biased’ Judiciary, Vows to Stay in Detention
Detained chief of the Indigenous Individuals of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has declared that he would slightly stay in detention indefinitely than be subjected to what he describes as a “corrupt and biased” judicial course of.
In an open letter personally signed from his detention on the Division of State Providers (DSS) and launched by means of his Particular Counsel, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu insisted that he wouldn’t undergo any trial except it was earlier than an neutral and constitutionally competent court docket.
“If it’s going to take the remainder of my life in detention to supply me earlier than a correct and neutral court docket, so be it,” Kanu acknowledged.
Allegations of Judicial Manipulation
Kanu accused the Nigerian authorities of orchestrating a sample of judicial and government fraud towards him since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in 2021. He recalled a 2017 Federal Excessive Court docket ruling that declared IPOB was not an illegal group however lamented that, as a substitute of following authorized procedures to enchantment the judgment, the federal government unilaterally proscribed IPOB by means of an ex parte continuing with out due course of.
He additionally referenced an October 26, 2022, ruling by a Federal Excessive Court docket, which declared his extraordinary rendition and continued detention unconstitutional. The court docket condemned the Nigerian authorities’s actions, citing violations of his basic rights and ordering his launch with compensation. Nonetheless, Kanu famous that regardless of this ruling, the federal government refused to conform.
Moreover, he pointed to an October 13, 2022, resolution by the Court docket of Attraction, which dominated that his rendition from Kenya stripped Nigerian courts of jurisdiction to attempt him. As a substitute of releasing him, he alleged that the federal government used backdoor ways to safe a keep of execution on the ruling.
Supreme Court docket Ruling and Alleged Bias
Kanu additional referenced the Supreme Court docket’s December 15, 2023, resolution, which, whereas returning his case to the Federal Excessive Court docket for trial, additionally held that the revocation of his bail was improper. He argued that regardless of this pronouncement, the court docket did not reinstate his bail, suggesting a deliberate effort to maintain him in detention below unfavorable circumstances.
“In a sane society, one would anticipate that when the Excessive Court docket obtained my case from the Supreme Court docket, it will be duty-bound to revive my bail according to the pronouncement of the apex court docket,” he wrote.
Refusal to Stand Trial Below the Present Court docket
Kanu revealed that on September 24, 2024, he determined he would now not interact in a authorized course of that he believes is rigged towards him. He requested the recusal of the presiding choose resulting from considerations over bias, a request that was granted. Nonetheless, he accused the Chief Decide of the Federal Excessive Court docket of colluding with the federal government to reassign his case to the identical choose regardless of her recusal.
Expressing his mistrust within the course of, Kanu maintained that his case was being shielded from judges who would possibly ship honest rulings.
“To conclude this Open Letter, let me make it clear that it ought to under no circumstances be construed to imply that there are not any first rate judges in Nigeria that may be trusted to ship even-handed justice in my case. As a substitute, the difficulty is that my case is intentionally being shielded from judges and justices which are deemed to be dedicated to doing justice even when it signifies that the federal authorities should lose,” he wrote.
Implications of Kanu’s Stand
Kanu’s refusal to face trial below the present court docket raises contemporary authorized and political questions. His continued detention regardless of a number of court docket rulings in his favor has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, IPOB supporters, and authorized specialists who argue that the Nigerian authorities is undermining its personal judiciary.
With tensions between IPOB and the federal authorities already excessive, Kanu’s newest stance might additional escalate the standoff, elevating considerations about renewed agitation and potential unrest within the South-East.
The Nigerian authorities is but to formally reply to Kanu’s open letter.
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