Biafra: Why Abuja court may reinstate Nnamdi Kanu’s bail – Lawyer, Ejimakor

Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said the Abuja Federal High Court may reinstate the agitator’s initial bail.

Ejimakor said the judgment by the Abia State High Court may pave the way for the Federal High Court, Abuja to reinstate Kanu’s bail.

Recall that Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja had in 2017 granted the IPOB leader bail.

Shortly after he was granted bail, soldiers invaded his Afaraukwu residence in Abia State.

Amid the invasion, the IPOB leader had fled the country to Europe, where he continued his agitation for Biafra.

But, in June 2021, Kanu was rearrested in an African country believed to be Kenya, and was repatriated.

In October 2021, Kanu through Ejimakor initiated a fundamental rights violation suit against the Nigerian government.

Ruling on the suit, Justice Anya described Kanu’s arrest in Kenya as illegal, and ordered the Federal Government to pay him one billion naira as compensation.

The judge also ordered the government to apologize to Kanu.

However, Ejimakor said the judgement was significant and has a direct impact on Kanu’s case at the Federal High Court.

In a statement he signed, Ejimakor said: “This press release is necessitated by the flurry of public commentaries on the 19th January 2022 judgment of the High Court of Abia State in favor of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“Most of the commentaries have bordered on examining the latent impacts the judgment may have beyond the monetary award and the apology. Of particular note is whether the judgment should directly or indirectly impact the persisting notion that Kanu had jumped bail in 2017, which was what grounded the bench warrant that was used to justify his rendition.

“In summary, the answer is in the affirmative that this landmark judgment has created new legal opportunities for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, especially as regards impeaching the bench warrant that grandfathered his extraordinary rendition.

“You will recall that from late 2017, I had maintained a well-publicized stance that Nnamdi Kanu never jumped bail and that he will, in due course of time, prove that it was the Nigerian government that compelled him to flee and seek refuge outside Nigeria. This was the material issue before the Court and it prevailed.

“In particular, the Court held that: “It is the view of this Court that the Army set out as pythons to terminate the life of Nnamdi Kanu. The military invasion of his home at Afaraukwu Ibeku is so notorious that this Court cannot turn a blind eye to it. He deserves an apology and compensation.

“Additionally, the Court held that: “Kanu has by credible evidence proved to the Honourable Court that his fundamental rights to dignity of human person and personal liberty were wantonly or brazenly violated and his fundamental right to life threatened brazenly by Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“In other words, the Court impliedly held that Kanu never made a voluntary decision to flee Nigeria or to be absent from his trial. To this extent, this judgment has finally obliterated the vested and false notion that Kanu had jumped bail back in 2017.

“Accordingly, the bench warrant upon which his rendition from Kenya was grounded has now become impeachable and liable to be vacated, thus paving the way for his previous bail to be reinstated.”