By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Baring any unforeseen circumstances or change, the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at the High court is scheduled to hold on February 8.
This was disclosed by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, who made this known on his X account.
Ejimakor disclosed the information while giving an update after the visitation to the IPOB leader in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), Abuja.
Kanu’s counsel said he was in the company of Prince Emma Kanu, the self-determination agitator’s brother.
The counsel wrote, “Update: Myself and Prince Emma Kanu have exited today’s visitation of Onyendu #MNK.
“The situation remains tough but Onyendu is tougher. On the flip side, we have succeeded in persuading the Federal High Court to hear his case on 8th February. 2024. So, the date is set. Yes.”
The IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of the then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, had on 13 October, 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extra-ordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the country’s extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights.
The court then struck out the terrorism charges filed against Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the State Security Service.
But the federal government refused to release him, insisting that he could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from.
Later, the government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgment at the Supreme Court.
Delivering judgment on the appeal on 15 December, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the Appeal court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court
But several weeks after the judgement, the court failed to transmit the file to the lower court despite issuing the order.
Just last week, the Supreme Court finally released the certified true copies of its judgement on Nnamdi Kanu thereby prompting the scheduling of his trial at the lower court.
