The case between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was on Thursday adjourned to September 14.
The case was adjourned by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Recall that the embattled leader of the proscribed group told the court to squash the judgment of the appeal court stopping his release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The appellate court had on October 28, 2022, granted a stay of execution on its verdict which discharged Kanu of terrorism charges filed against him by the federal government.
In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel led by Haruna Tsanami, the appeal court granted the application filed by the federal government pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before the supreme court.
On Thursday, a five-member panel of Justices led by Justice John Okoro while ruling adjourned Kanu’s suit to allow time for Mr Tijani Gadzali, SAN, counsel to the Federal Government to respond to the appellants reply briefs.
The apex court granted the application of Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, to file additional processes in response to Kanu’s filing, which was done on Tuesday.
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The apex court said even if it proceeds to hear the appeal, there is no space within its calendar to write and deliver the verdict within the 90-day deadline.
The case was therefore adjourned to September 14.
Earlier, the Counsel to Kanu, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) pleaded with the apex court to at least hear one of the two motions presented on passionate grounds that the health of Kanu is fast deteriorating, the federal government through his counsel objected the plea.
After the adjournment, Ozekhome told journalists that, “I pleaded with the supreme court to give us the shortest possible date, this month or early next month but they reckoned that their calendar was pitiably full due to the manners of cases that are brought to the supreme court which according to his research happens to be the busy court in the world.”
“My two motions were for Kanu’s bail or that he be transferred from the DSS custody to the Kuje correctional centre met with opposition from the federal government.
“I expressed my fear regarding Kanu’s state of health which I described as life threatening.
“The court requires an individual to stand trial, not sit down trial, lie down trial or prostrate trial”, which means that Kanu with his state of health cannot stand trial.”