…Kanu’s appeal challenged the July 3 judgment of retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Abuja, Nigeria — The iNews Times, The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out the appeal filed by terrorism convict Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ruling that the case lacked merit and had become academic following his recent conviction for terrorism offences by a Federal High Court on November 20.
Delivering judgment on Friday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that Kanu’s claims of violations of his fundamental rights, including his rights to human dignity, adequate healthcare, and freedom of religion no longer stood, owing to his conviction, life sentence, and subsequent remand in prison custody.
In the lead judgment, Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo explained that the matter had effectively lost substance. He noted that since Kanu’s counsel, Maxwell Opara, confirmed during proceedings that his client was now being held in Sokoto prison, the court could no longer issue an order directing that he be transferred to Kuje prison, as sought in the appeal.
Justice Ugo further ruled that Kanu had previously expressed preference for being held in regular prison custody rather than in the Department of State Services (DSS) facility. Having now been convicted and placed in the prison system he requested, the court held that his prayers could no longer be granted.
The ruling was on Kanu’s appeal challenging the July 3 judgment of retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed his fundamental rights enforcement suit for lack of proof.
The respondents in the appeal were the Director General of the DSS, the DSS, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
