Presidential candidate of African Action Congress Party in the 2023 general election, Omoyele Sowore has given reason detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu may remain in DSS detention endlessly.
The human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner, alleged that the security agency makes about N500million each time they bring Mazi Kanu to court in the name of logistics. He reasoned that because of the huge amount of money they make, the agency will never want to let Kanu go despite court decisions because of the Nigerian factor. Also, lawyers to Kanu made similar allegations during an interview with journalists.
Few days ago, about 50 members of the National Assembly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to invoke a section of the Nigerian constitution and release Nnamdi Kanu to ensure peace in the southeast. The President is yet to make a public statement regarding the appeal as at the time of this publication.
Meanwhile, Mazi Kanu who holds the dual citizenship of Nigeria and the UK was first apprehended in October in Lagos, South-west Nigeria, after he arrived in the country from the United Kingdom.
The judge had granted Mr Kanu bail on medical grounds in April 2017, after he was incarcerated for nearly two years.
However, Mr Kanu stopped attending court proceedings after the Nigerian military invaded his home in Abia State.
He was rearrested and returned to Nigeria where he faced terrorism and treasonable felony charges.
But Ms Nyako struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that the government filed against Mr Kanu.
Similarly, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the remaining charges on the grounds that the government illegally repatriated Mr Kanu from Kenya in breach of both local and international laws. However, in December 2023, the Supreme Court overturned the appellate court decision dismissing the trial.
The Supreme Court affirmed Ms Nyako’s decision solidifying the validity of the charges against Mr Kanu.
But, since the case resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja following the Supreme Court decision, there has not been much progress because of preliminary issues regarding Mr Kanu’s bail and complaints about his “deteriorating” health conditions.
