A’Court clarifies 21 Justices transfer, says panel on Nnamdi Kanu not targeted

• Malami lists LAC achievements, honours Ikeakor

Court of Appeal headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, clarified that the transfer of its 21 Justices to various divisions in the country had nothing to do with the judgment of the court that discharged and quashed the terrorism charges against the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Contrary to a report in the media, the appellate court said the posting of 21 Justices was a routine exercise aimed at reinvigorating justice delivery.

Chief Registrar of the Court, Umar Mohammed Bangari, in a statement, debunked the media report that the three Justices, who delivered the October 13 judgment that ordered the release of Kanu from detention were transferred.

He said that only one Justice out of the three that handled Kanu’s matter was affected by the postings.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Court of Appeal has been drawn to a publication in the media on Monday, October 24, 2022, with the caption ‘Nnamdi Kanu: 3 Justices on Appeal Court Panel Transferred.’

“The publication in question conveyed the innuendo to the effect that the recent postings of Justices of the Court of Appeal were in connection with or in response to the judgment of the court on October 13, 2022, in Nnamdi Kanu Versus the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We wish to state categorically that the general postings of the Justices of the Court of Appeal under reference were routine and aimed at reinvigorating the justice delivery system of the court.”

THE clarification came just as the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubarkar Malami, SAN, yesterday, listed the success recorded by the Legal Aid Council (LAC) while renaming the council headquarters after the late Chief Chimezie Ikeazor, SAN, for his sacrifices and pivotal roles in establishing the council.

The AGF said the numerous sacrifices of the late Chief Ikeazor included providing legal services to the poor and stressed that the council’s headquarters was renamed after the legal luminary for his contributions to free legal services in the country.

He noted that since the establishment of the council through the efforts of the likes of the late Ikeazor, the council had made significant contributions to legal services in the country.

He said that in the second quarter of this year alone, the council was able to process Legal Aid Services to 57,134 citizens, recovered over N57 million as claims and compensation for victims of motor accidents and provided defence for 224 suspects arraigned before the Federal High Court for certain offences.

“Similarly, the Special Task Force of the Council facilitated the release of 30 awaiting trial inmates in Keffi Correctional Centre in addition to filing application of enforcement of fundamental rights of 101 awaiting trial inmates.

“The Police Duty Solicitors Scheme of the Council currently operates in eleven states across the country. This operation has successfully diverted over 7,000 persons from the Criminal Justice System and 90 per cent of these persons left police custody during the first five days of arrest,” he listed among other achievements.