Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has challenged his terrorism conviction issued by Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Federal High Court.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu quoted his brother, Nnamdi Kanu, saying he was denied the opportunity to present his final written address. Kanu insisted that his conviction lacked any legal basis.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, is currently serving a life imprisonment term at Sokoto Prison. His reaction to the conviction was shared by his younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who visited him alongside lawyer Maxwell Opara.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu stated that Nnamdi Kanu was denied the chance to present his final written address, insisting that his conviction lacks a legal basis.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu and Dr. Maxwell Opara met with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, at Sokoto Medium Security Prison. Kanu instructed us to inform the public that his conviction has no legal basis, as no one can be convicted under a repealed law.
He identified numerous errors in the judgment that, in his view, undermined the fairness of his trial. He urged conscientious Nigerian justices, magistrates, and lawyers to carefully examine the ruling and uphold the laws of the land and the Nigerian Constitution.
He also questioned the inconsistency between favorable decisions from the Umuahia High Court, Enugu, the Appeal Court, the United Nations, and the Supreme Court—which recognized that the laws under which he was charged had been repealed or required amendment—and the disregard of these rulings in his case.
He was also denied the opportunity to present his final written address, which focused on the right to a fair hearing. The court relied on evidence not included in the charge sheet or formally presented against him, and it controversially based its judgment on charges previously struck out by Justice Binta Nyako
He identified multiple errors in the judgment that compromised the validity of his trial. He called on conscientious Nigerian justices, magistrates, and lawyers to scrutinize the judgment and ensure the laws of the land and the Nigerian Constitution are upheld.
He highlighted the inconsistency between favourable rulings from the Umuahia High Court, Enugu, the Court of Appeal, the United Nations, and the Supreme Court—which declared that the laws under which he was charged had been repealed and required amendment—and the fact that these rulings were ignored.
The statement added that Kanu commended individuals of good conscience who recognised the injustice and rejected it.
“I am Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who will reject injustice, unfairness, and evil against anybody regardless of your tribe, faith, and ethnic background. Injustice to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is injustice everywhere.
I remain thankful for all your support, prayers, and your good thoughts. Elohim, bless you all,” Kanu added, according to the statement.