Court Rejects Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail, Set to Deliver Judgment

Nnamdi Kanu, the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), filed a plea for bail, but the Federal High Court in Abuja rejected it on Thursday, stating that the scheduled verdict in his terrorism trial would go forward.

Kanu had requested that the court postpone the ruling and take into consideration his new submissions. Kanu has been on trial for several years on allegations relating to terrorism and treasonous felonies.

Justice James Omotosho, however, declared that the procedures were over and that the court would not allow any more delays.

It had previously stated that Kanu showed up in court and insisted that since he had filed multiple new proceedings, no judgment could be given.

“I have filed my procedures, so there is no judgment. No judgment would hold,” he declared at the start of proceedings.

However, Justice Omotosho advised him to behave appropriately, emphasizing that the hearing would continue as planned and that decorum must be upheld.

Kanu, who is representing himself, informed the court that he had filed three distinct motions between November 11 and 17.
Among them were:

A motion requesting the court to order the prosecution to submit a final written address, a motion seeking bail on liberal terms, and a motion asking the court to refer “substantial constitutional issues” to the Court of Appeal.

Additionally, he argued that the entire trial is unlawful because count 7 of the charge does not exist under any written law.

Justice Omotosho merged the motions but made it clear the court would not reconsider completed subjects.

According to Justice Omotosho, Kanu’s concerns had already been resolved by the same court.

This court is constrained by its prior decisions. We will not consider the Court of Appeal or the stay of proceedings. Such applications are prohibited by Section 306 of the ACJA, he stated.

According to the legislation, there are two types of bail, and Kanu’s situation “does not fall within them,” he continued.