The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
A three-member panel of the Appeal Court led by Justice Oludotun Adebola discredited the terrorism charges brought against Kanu.
The court was of the view that the Federal Government breached all local and international laws in bringing Kanu to face terrorism charges in Nigeria.
In his appeal dated April 29 and marked CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022, Kanu had applied to be discharged and acquitted. He was first arraigned on December 23, 2015, and was later granted bail on April 25, 2017.
Thursday’s judgement follows Kanu’s earlier appeal for the charges by the Federal Government to be dropped and he be set free.
Adebola held that the failure of Nigeria to follow due process by way of extradition was fatal to the charges against Kanu.
The Appeal Court further held that the failure of the Federal Government to disclose where and when the alleged offences were committed was also fatal to the terrorism charges and made them liable to dismissal.
Reacting to the judgment, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu’s lawyer and human rights activist, on his Facebook page on Thursday, said Kanu won at last.
“Appeal allowed, Oyendu Mazi Nnamdi KANU, discharged and acquitted. We have won,” he wrote.
