The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday rejected the Nigerian government’s application for adjournment of a hearing relating to the judgement freeing Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal led by Oludotun Adefope-Okojie had on 13 October dismissed the terrorism and treasonable felony charges against the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The court had ordered Mr Kanu’s release from detention after striking out a seven-count charge pending before Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Mr Adefope-Okojie held that Mr Kanu’s forcible extradition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 was a breach of local and international laws.
Instead of complying with the appellate court’s decision ordering Mr Kanu’s unconditional release, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.
David Kaswe representing the office of the AGF, Abubakar Malami, filed an application for a stay of execution of the Court of Appeal’s verdict on the separatist leader.
At Monday’s proceedings, Mr Kaswe sought an adjournment for the hearing of the stay of execution application.
However, the appellate court panel led by Haruna Tsanami ordered Mr Kaswe to open arguments in the pending application.
Mr Kaswe based his request for an adjournment on the grounds that Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, served him with a counter-affidavit to the application last Friday.
Credit: premiumtimesng.com
