Nwodo, who spoke while reacting to the court judgement described the Nigerian government’s continued detention of Kanu as a provocative action that does nobody, including the Federal Government, any good.
The former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo, has condemned the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu after the Appeal Court ruling.
Nwodo, who spoke while reacting to the court judgement described the Nigerian government’s continued detention of Kanu as a provocative action that does nobody, including the Federal Government, any good.
The former Minister of Information while advising President Muhammadu Buhari and his appointees to rethink and free Nnamdi Kanu warned that violating orders of the court would have far-reaching consequences.
Nwodo said, "A critical review of the government’s position on this matter is very important because of the far-reaching implications keeping the IPOB leader after the court ruling will have on the much-desired peace and stability in the country.
"If the honourable Justices of the Court of Appeal reviewed the situation and arrived at their decision, going outside the ruling of the court could be provocative and injurious to the Federal Government’s image on the rule of law and respect for the judiciary.”
He emphatically stated that “any other reason being adduced to warrant keeping Kanu incarcerated is most likely going to be inferior to respecting the ruling of the court and also the sensibilities of some Nigerians particularly Ndigbo who hailed and celebrated the ruling.”
SaharaReporters reported that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, discharged Kanu of the terrorism charges brought against him by the government.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision, faulted the process through which Kanu was brought before the Federal High Court to answer to terrorism charges.
But the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, while reacting to the judgement of the Court of Appeal, clarified that the detained IPOB leader was only discharged and not acquitted by the court.
Acquittal is a verdict by the judge that the accused is not guilty of the offence he is charged with, while discharge means releasing a person from custody or allegation due to insufficient grounds to proceed with the case.
The appeal court ruled that the arrest, abduction and subsequent arraignment of Kanu before a Federal High Court violated the international convention on terrorism and, thus, robbed any court of law in Nigeria of the necessary jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Justice Adedotun Adefope-Okijie, who read out the judgement of the three-man panel, noted that there was nowhere the federal government showed it complied with the procedures for the extradition of the IPOB leader from Kenya last year.
The appellate court listed the conditions, according to the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU), which a state must meet to include a formal application for extradition to the host country, permission from a court, and a statement of the alleged offences in connection with the extradition request amongst others.
The court explained that the requirements were aimed at ensuring that people were only extradited after full conviction of alleged committal of an offence and not for any other purpose.
Similarly, a Federal High court sitting in Umuahia, Abia state on Wednesday, ordered President Buhari’s government to return Kanu to Kenya, describing his extraordinary rendition as a grave violation of human rights.
The court also awarded Kanu N500 million in damages.