Court Denies Nnamdi Kanu Bail

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has denied bail for the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu and three other person on trial with him.



The presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, while delivering her ruling on an application for bail filed by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu’s counsel, on Thursday, December 1, held that the offences the defendants — Kanu, Benjamin Nmadubugwu, Chidiebere Onwudiwe and David Nwawusi — were charged with were not entirely bailable.

She said the charge of treasonable felony, which hands on the necks of the defendants, attracts‎ a life sentence.

Justice Nyako, therefore, denied them bail on the grounds that their case was sensitive to national security.

‎On the argument of Kanu’s counsel that President Muhammadu Buhari made a statement on national TV tacitly declaring the IPOB leader guilty of the offence, she said: “The president has freedom of speech; he can express his opinion on any matter.”

Justice Nyako is third judge to handle Kanu’s trial after two other‎ judges withdrew from the case.

Justice John Tsoho, the second judge to withdraw from the trial after Justice Ahmed Mohammed, had denied Kanu bail, remanding him in Kuje prison where he has been for‎ months.

In October 2015, a magistrate court discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges of terrorism, but the Department‎ of States Services, DSS, kept him in detention.

Also, in December 2015, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, justice of the federal high court, granted Kanu unconditional bail, but the DSS refused to release him.