There was a new twist on Friday in the appeal against an earlier judgment on October 13 by an Appeal Court in Abuja, which discharged and acquitted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, as the Court of Appeal in Abuja stopped the execution of its judgment that quashed the terrorism charges against Kanu.
The Appeal Court in its judgment faulted the rendition of Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria and discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges, including the terrorism charges against him.
The Nigerian government appealed against the judgment and headed to the Supreme Court. However, the Nigerian Government also applied that the execution of the judgment be suspended pending the hearing and determination of its appeal before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The Nigerian government also based its appeal on the grounds that releasing Kanu would not be in the interest of national security and after taking arguments from the counsel, the three-member panel of justices led by Justice Haruna Tsammani on Monday, reserved ruling in the matter.
In the ruling on Friday in Abuja, Justice Tsammani held that the Nigerian Federal Government’s application for stay of execution had merit and ordered that the execution of the judgment be put on hold.
The Appeal Court also ruled that the record of proceedings in respect of the earlier judgment of October 13 be forwarded to the Supreme Court within seven days to ensure expeditious hearing.
The Supreme has, however, not given a date for the hearing of the appeal by the Nigerian Government to quash the judgment of the Appeal Court that freed Kanu.
It will be recalled that a Federal High Court in sitting in Umuahia, Abia State in Southeastern Nigeria had condemned the rendition of Kanu from Kenya and the abuse of his fundamental Human Rights and awarded a heavt fine against the Federal Government.
GIK/APA