The National Judicial Council (NJC) has denied claims that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, ordered the immediate release and repatriation of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, back to Kenya.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NJC described the report as false and misleading. The council noted that there are no court proceedings or judgments in which the CJN made such a statement regarding Kanu’s case.
“The Council wishes to state that the media report is false and figment of imagination of the writer, as there are no Court proceedings, decision or judgment where such statements ascribed to His Lordship was made,” the NJC’s statement read.
The NJC further noted that Justice Kekere-Ekun has never presided over Kanu’s case at the Supreme Court or made any pronouncement concerning his release. The statement also dismissed claims that the CJN wrote a letter to the Kenyan government apologizing for Kanu’s arrest and trial.
“The Council categorically notes that the Hon CJN neither preside over any Case of Kanu at the Apex Court, where jurisdiction issue was argued nor makes any such pronouncement. His Lordship, the Hon CJN never wrote any formal letter to the Kenya Government or Kenya High Commission apologising on the issue of arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and trial,” the NJC stated.
The council urged the public to ignore what it called a “fake story,” emphasizing that the CJN had no involvement in the matter. The statement was signed by Kemi Ogedengbe, NJC’s Deputy Director of Information.
Meanwhile, Kanu, who is facing a seven-count treasonable felony charge filed by the federal government, is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday. The case has been reassigned to Justice James Omotosho after the previous judge, Justice Binta Nyako, recused herself due to allegations of bias made by Kanu.
Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, previously noted that the CJN played a role in ensuring the reassignment of the case, despite the initial refusal of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to do so.
Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return from the United Kingdom. After spending about 18 months in detention, he was granted bail on health grounds on April 25, 2017, and was released three days later. However, he fled the country after security forces raided his home in Umuahia, Abia State, in an operation that reportedly led to the deaths of some of his supporters.
He was later arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021, and was brought back to Nigeria on June 27, 2021, in what his legal team describes as an “extraordinary rendition.” Since then, he has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
In April 2022, the trial court struck out eight of the 15 charges against Kanu, citing a lack of evidence. Later, in October 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered his release and dismissed the charges entirely. However, the federal government challenged the ruling at the Supreme Court, which on December 15, 2023, reversed the appellate court’s decision and ruled that Kanu could be tried on the remaining charges.
