PRESS RELEASE: 30th January, 2022
Subject: The Abia High Court Judgement Has Paved Way For Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail to Be Reinstated
This Press Release is necessitated by the flurry of public commentaries on the 19th January 2022 judgment of the High Court of Abia State in favor of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Most of the commentaries have bordered on examining the latent impacts the judgment may have beyond the monetary award and the apology. Of particular note is whether the judgment should directly or indirectly impact the persisting notion that Kanu had jumped bail in 2017, which was what grounded the bench warrant that was used to justify his rendition.
In summary, the answer is in the affirmative that this landmark judgment has created new legal opportunities for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, especially as regards impeaching the bench warrant that grandfathered his extraordinary rendition.
You will recall that from late 2017, I had maintained a well-publicized stance that Nnamdi Kanu never jumped bail and that he will, in due course of time, prove that it was the Nigerian government that compelled him to flee and seek refuge outside Nigeria. This was the material issue before the Court and it prevailed.
In particular, the Court held that: “It is the view of this Court that the Army set out as pythons to terminate the life of Nnamdi Kanu. The military invasion of his home at Afaraukwu Ibeku is so notorious that this Court cannot turn a blind eye to it. He deserves an apology and compensation”.
Additionally, the Court held that: “Kanu has by credible evidence proved to the Honourable Court that his fundamental rights to dignity of human person and personal liberty were wantonly or brazenly violated and his fundamental right to life threatened brazenly by Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
In other words, the Court impliedly held that Kanu never made a voluntary decision to flee Nigeria or to be absent from his trial. To this extent, this judgment has finally obliterated the vested and false notion that Kanu had jumped bail back in 2017.
Accordingly, the bench warrant upon which his rendition from Kenya was grounded has now become impeachable and liable to be vacated, thus paving the way for his previous bail to be reinstated.
Signed: Aloy Ejimakor, Esq.
Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu/IPOB.