The Supreme Court has fixed December 15, 2023, as the date to deliver judgment in the case by the federal government of Nigeria against the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Bellnews reports the Supreme Court announced the date on Thursday after the lawyers of both parties made their final submissions.
It would be recalled that a Court of Appeal had dismissed the treasonable felony charge against Kanu and ordered his release based on arguments that the IPOB leader was unlawfully brought back to Nigeria after he jumped bail.
However, the government appealed the ruling of the appellate court and approached the apex court to set aside the ruling but Kanu is praying the court to uphold the ruling on his release and set aside the stay of execution on judgment.
After the federal government, represented by Tijani Gazali (SAN) and Kanu, represented by Mike Ozekhome (SAN) made final submissions on Thursday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court court headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, picked December 15 to give a verdict.
Bellnews recalls the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal had in its judgment delivered on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s release from detention.
The unanimous judgement delivered by a three-member panel of the appellate court also quashed a 15-count terrorism charge that FG entered against the detained IPOB leader, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
It held that the government displayed arbitrary use of power by forcefully repatriating Kanu from Kenya to continue his case in Nigeria.