Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has said that actions are on to appeal the reversed ruling of the Court of Appeal which granted the Nigerian government’s application to retain Kanu in detention.
Ejiofor said that despite the reversed judgment by the Appellate court, the October 13 judgment by the three-man panel of judges which discharged and acquitted the IPOB leader still subsisted, saying that Kanu had given the legal team approval to appeal the reversed ruling at the Supreme Court.
Recall that a three-man panel of judges of the Appeal Court had on October 13th ruled that the rendition of the IPOB leader from Kenya in June 2021 by the Nigerian government was illegal. The judges then quashed all the charges filed against Kanu, discharged and acquitted him and ordered the government to unconditionally release him from detention.
However, after the three judges were transferred, the Nigerian government filed an application before the appellate court, asking for the stay of execution of its earlier judgment. The appellate court in a reversed ruling granted the government’s application. Hence Kanu remained in detention.
Ejiofor, while giving an update on his routine visit to Kanu in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Abuja on Monday stated that Kanu would still reclaim his victory at the Supreme Court.
The IPOB lawyer in the statement said, “I visited Onyendu today at the Headquarters of the State Security Service (DSS) Abuja, to specifically brief him on the outcome of the Court of Appeal Ruling, of Friday last week, staying the execution of Onyendu’s Appeal Court Judgement.
“Apart from critical legal strategies which will remain private, Onyendu did not hesitate in giving our legal team a nod to immediately proceed with an appeal at the Supreme Court against the Ruling of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of its Judgment, which expectedly, is to be heard under the Supreme Court Fast Track Rules.
“Procedures towards an expeditious hearing of the appeal was agreed upon and we are very hopeful that it shall still end in praises, God being our Helper.
“As we had earlier stated, be assured that the Court of Appeal Judgment which vindicated Onyendu, and consequently discharged him of every bogus allegation, still subsists, it has not been set aside.
“Onyendu’s legal team eminently led by Chief Mike Ozekome, SAN, will vigorously pursue an appeal at the Supreme Court against the Ruling of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of Onyendu’s landmark victory at the Court of Appeal.
“Onyendu used the opportunity presented by the visit to generally thank all Umuchineke for their unshaken solidarity and support, even as he continued to encourage you all to remain peaceful and law abiding, as you have always demonstrated.”
