The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, has reacted to Thursday’s court ruling on the rendition of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, declaring that the judgement does not translate to a discharge and acquittal of the detainee.
The Attorney General’s position was revealed in a press statement issued, Friday, in Abuja, by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.
This means it is not yet redemption song for Nnamdi Kanu who was arrested in Kenya in June, 2021, by Interpol, and was immediately handed over to Nigerian authorities and detained in the DSS facility.
The Crest recalls that Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, and detained for more than a year, despite various court rulings ordering his release. The IPOB leader was finally released on bail on April 28, 2017. And he fled, first to Israel, then, the United Kingdom.
Below is the full text of the statement by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister or Justice on Thursday’s court ruling:
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has received the news of the decision of the Court of Appeal concerning the trial of Nnamdi Kanu.
For the avoidance of doubt and by the verdict of the Court, Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted.
Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public.
The decision handed down by the court of appeal was on a single issues that borders on rendition.
Let it be made clear to the general public that other issues that predates rendition on the basis of which Kanu jumped bail remain valid issues for judicial determination.
The Federal Government will consider all available options open to us on the judgment on rendition while pursuing determination of pre-rendition issues.
*Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu*
(Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice).
13th October, 2022