The Supreme Court has issued the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment in the legal dispute between the Federal Government and Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The apex court had, on December 15, 2024, set aside a lower court’s decision that dismissed terrorism charges against Kanu.
While the appeal court had previously cleared Kanu of the charges, citing an infringement on his fundamental human rights by the Federal Government, the Supreme Court ruled that Kanu must continue facing trial. Despite criticizing the government’s actions, the apex court directed the resumption of Kanu’s legal proceedings.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel for IPOB, expressed frustration over the delay in receiving the Certified True Copy of the judgment, 37 days after the Supreme Court’s ruling. Kanu’s family also voiced concern about the slow release of the judgment documentation.
In a recent post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Aloy Ejimakor, a member of Kanu’s legal team, announced that the Certified True Copy of the judgment had been released to them. He further revealed that the Supreme Court had assured the transmission of the case file to the Federal High Court.
“Today, the Supreme Court released the CTC of its judgment in ‘The Federal Republic of Nigeria versus Nnamdi Kanu’. The Court also promised to transmit the case file to the Federal High Court by tomorrow. Sooner than later, we shall lock horns at the Federal High Court to #FreeMNK,” Ejimakor stated.
Nnamdi Kanu was initially arrested in 2015 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. After being granted bail in April 2017, he fled the country following a military invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, in September 2017. In June 2021, Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria, where he faced trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.