Rights group urges S’Court to expedite appeal against Kanu’s release 

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, sent a SAVE-OUR-SOUL message to the Supreme Court, urging it to hear the case concerning the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, sooner than the adjourned date of September 14, 2023.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has not released Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a competent source disclosed in Abuja.

The source said on Sunday that contrary to reports in a section of the media, the IPOB leader was only granted access to his personal doctors under the supervision of the Service.

Some sections of the media had reported that Kanu was on Saturday, released for the first time, since his incarceration two years ago to meet with his personal physicians in an Abuja hospital outside the facility of the DSS.

According to the DSS source, access to doctors for suspects in DSS custody is routine in line with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Service.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said a definitive hearing of the Federal Government’s appeal against Kanu, in an extremely urgent fashion, would save the South East from total implosion.

The group said since politicians are insensitive to the continuous killings in the region due to the prolonged detention of Kanu, it behooves the justices of the Supreme Court to salvage the situation by granting expeditious hearing to Kanu’s case.

HURIWA urged South East governors to mount pressure on the Federal Government to release the IPOB leader, and for President Bola Tinubu to get the Finnish government to stop elements in its territory, who are fomenting trouble and instigating killings through enforcement of illegal sit-at-home every Monday in the region.

The rights group noted that it is against the use of coercion to compel residents of the South East to not comply with the illegal sit-at-home, opting for consultation and persuasion.

HURIWA recalled that the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, acceded to Kanu’s request by dismissing the seven count charges against him, ordering his release from custody.

The appellate court based its decision on the fact that Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from Kenya breached both local and international laws.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration subsequently challenged the decision at the Supreme Court. The five-member panel of justices, led by John Okoro, in May, deferred the hearing of the case till September 14, 2023.

HURIWA said: “The Supreme Court should reverse the long adjournment for definitive hearing of the Federal Government’s appeal against Kanu, and hear the matter this week to save the South East from total implosion and destruction.

“The delay in deciding the time-wasting appeal against the verdict of the appellate court is one of the fundamental factors militating against the region’s economic life, as well as security of life and property over the last two years.”