The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been freed from the allegations of terrorism and treasonable felony.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted Kanu of the allegations.
The IPOB leader is being prosecuted by the Federal Government on a 15 count charges bordering on treasonable felony and terrorism, offences he allegedly committed in the course of his separatist campaigns.
He was first arrested on October 2015, and taken to High court where 11-count charges bordering on “terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods, among others were preferred against him.
He was granted bail on April 2017 for medical reasons and afterwards jumped bail before his recent arrest in Kenya and resumption of trail.
A three-member panel of justices led by Justice Jummai Hanatu on Thursday however struck out the seven-count charges preferred against him by the federal government.
The panel held that the trial court had no jurisdiction to entertain the case following Kanu’s rendition from Kenya.
three-man panel of the Court of Appeal said the Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to try him in view of his abduction and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria in flagrant violation of the OAU convention and protocol on extradition.
The court alwo held that the 15-count charge preferred against Kanu did not disclose the place, date, time and nature of the alleged offences before being unlawfully extradited to Nigeria in clear violation of international treaties
The court further held that the Federal Government failed to disclose where Nnamdi Kanu was arrested despite the grave allegations against him.
