The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ruling that the case had no merit and had become purely academic following his recent conviction for terrorism.
Kanu was convicted on November 20 by the Federal High Court in Abuja on seven terrorism-related charges, bringing an end to a trial that spanned nearly ten years.
In its judgment, the three-member appellate panel held that Kanu’s allegations of violations of his rights, including his rights to human dignity, adequate medical care, and freedom of religion, could no longer be considered, as he is now a convicted prisoner serving a life sentence.
Justice Boloukuromo Ugo, who delivered the lead judgment, explained that Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, confirmed in court that Kanu was currently being held at Sokoto prison.
Since Kanu is no longer in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), the court said it could not order a transfer to Kuje prison, which had been part of his initial request.
Justice Ugo added that Kanu had earlier indicated that he preferred to be kept in regular prison custody rather than DSS detention.
With his conviction now finalized and his transfer to prison custody complete, the court said there was no longer any basis to grant the reliefs he sought.
This appeal stemmed from a July 3 ruling by now-retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, who dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights suit on the grounds that he did not prove the alleged violations.
