The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has attributed the delays in his legal case to political interference rather than judicial or legal factors.
Speaking through his legal team during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Esq., described the ongoing trial as persecution and accused the federal government of state-sanctioned extrajudicial detention. The lawyers alleged that the government has ignored court orders and international rulings addressing violations of Kanu’s fundamental human rights.
The defense team highlighted multiple infractions, including delays in reassigning Kanu’s case after requesting Justice Binta Nyako to recuse herself due to alleged bias and non-compliance with a Supreme Court ruling. Despite this, they noted, no formal reassignment has been made.
The lawyers also criticized the federal government for ignoring both local and international court directives concerning Kanu and his supporters. They expressed concern over the Court of Appeal’s delays in addressing three appeals aimed at reinstating Kanu’s bail, as previously directed by the Supreme Court.
Recounting key events, the defense traced Kanu’s legal challenges to his initial arrest in 2015 on charges including treasonable felony, conspiracy, and illegal importation of broadcast equipment. These charges were later amended to terrorism-related offences. Kanu was granted bail in April 2017 but fled the country following a military raid on his Afara Ukwu residence in Umuahia, Abia State, on September 10, 2017—a raid that reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities.
The lawyers further alleged that Kanu’s rendition from Kenya was illegal and pointed to frequent amendments to his charges as evidence of an unfair trial process. They questioned the fairness of expecting Kanu to face trial before a judge previously deemed biased by the Supreme Court.
“Do you expect Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to subject himself to a trial by a judge against whom the Supreme Court of Nigeria has found to be biased and who is not ready to change?” the legal team asked.
Kanu’s legal battle has become a focal point for discussions on human rights, judicial independence, and political interference in Nigeria.
