The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved the ruling on an application by the federal government seeking to stay the execution of the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice Haruna Tsamani, who presided over the hearing of the application on Monday, announced that a date for the ruling would be communicated to the parties when ready.
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The federal government had filed an appeal and a stay of execution following the judgment of the appellate court on Thursday, October 13, which struck out the remaining seven-count charges preferred against Kanu, citing a violation of international law on his extraordinary rendition from Kenya, and ordered his discharge from terrorism and treasonable felony charges.
However, the federal government, through its counsel, David Kaswe, while arguing the application, informed the Court of Appeal that Kanu had earlier demonstrated to be a flight risk when he jumped bail granted to him in 2017.
He further contended it was in the interest of peace in the South-East and the country to hold Kanu pending the determination of the appeal before the Supreme Court.
However, the lead counsel to Kanu, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), asked the appellate court to dismiss the submissions, maintaining that his client miraculously escaped death in September 2017 after soldiers of the Operation Python Dance attacked his residence at Afaraukwu-Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, killing 28 persons.
He maintained that holding Kanu beyond the date of the order discharging him would be unlawful and a breach of his fundamental rights to liberty, adding that his release would help restore peace to the country.
