Treason trial: Again, court denies Nnamdi Kanu’s bail request
The Federal High Court in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, again rejected a fresh bail application of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kan, as the judge declared that she could not exercise her discretion in granting the accused.
Penpushing reports that the trial judge, Justice, Binta Nyako in her ruling explained the court decision not to grant leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) bail, because he had earlier jumped bail
The judge referring to the incident pointed out that persons who stood as sureties for Kanu withdrew from the suit, recalling Kanu’s several unsuccessful bail applications, saying, he has option of appeal and should exercise his right of appeal
Penpushing further reports that Nyako, however warned that any attempt by the Kanu’s legal team to file another bail request before the court would be a gross abuse of court process, and in similar vein, the court turned down the accused application seeking to either be put on house arrest or transferred to a custodial centre pending the hearing and determination of his trial.
The judge at the Monday’s proceedings ordered the State Security Service (SSS) to grant Kanu access to his legal team of five persons each visiting day, and a doctor of his choice, while it is recalled that Kanu, who is leading a secessionist campaign for the creation of the Biafra Republic from Nigeria was arrested in Lagos in October 2015 when he arrived in Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
Penpushing also reports that he was later released on bail before but fled the country following the 2017 attack on his home by security officials, while on April 25,2017, the judge admitted Kanu to bail on account of ill health after he was incarcerated for 18 months in State Security Service (SSS) custody.
The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), midway into the trial, jumped bail after Nigerian soldiers invaded his ancestral home in Abia State in 2017, and is currently facing treason charges.
Penpushing reports that Kanu has been in the State Security Service (SSS) custody since June 2021 when he was forcibly returned to Nigeria from Kenya, while the Supreme Court last December ordered his fresh trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja after it dismissed the appeal challenging his forcible repatriation from Kenya in June 2021.
The High Court in April 2022 struck out eight of the 15 charges brought against him by the government, but the Court of Appeal quashed the entire proceedings on account of the Nigerian government’s violation of both local and international laws in forcibly bringing Kanu back to Nigeria.
Penpushing further reports that the appellate court then ordered his immediate release, and it was after that, that the Supreme Court ordered a fresh trial.
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