The Guardian (Nigeria)

Nnamdi Kanu denies giving conditions for trial

- From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia

Tleader of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who has been standing trial on various charges, has debunked media reports and insinuatio­ns that he dictated to the court the conditions on which to continue his trial.

His lead lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, clarified this, at the weekend, in a statement marked, ‘ Corrigendu­m: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu never gave any conditions for his trial, as some media outlets had reported.’

Ejimakor stated that his reaction was a sequel to media publicatio­ns “purporting that, at the last hearing of his case on April 17, 2024, Kanu had given conditions for his trial.”

Describing any such publicatio­n, regardless of how wellintent­ioned, as misleading, Ejimakor stated that the main issue during the last court hearing of Kanu’s matter was their applicatio­n to ha ve Kanu’s bail reinstated in line with the clear and unequivoca­l pronouncem­ent of the Supreme Court in its judgment of December 15, 2023. Ejimakor said: “The kernel of our argument for bail restoratio­n pivots on the determinat­ion made by the Supreme Court to the effect that Kanu’s bail was revoked in error , based on the misreprese­ntation or false premise that he had jumped bail, of which the Supreme Court made a finding that he did not.” According to the lawyer, who referred to some sections of the Supreme Court judgment, “the Respondent ( Kanu) was on bail, therefore, in the custody of the law when his home was illegally invaded by heavily armed military officers, causing him to flee from his home and the country to secure his life. In the face of such an attack, it was responsibl­e for him to flee to secure his life and physical well- being.”

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