Nigeria: Kanu Loses Bid for Fresh Bail, House Arrest

Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja has dismissed the request by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for the restoration of his revoked bail and removal from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to a house arrest or prison custody.

The court said the same request had been brought before her by Kanu and dismissed for want of merit.

In a ruling on Kanu's request, Justice Murtala-Nyako said she found as a fact that Kanu jumped the bail earlier granted him and escaped out of the country.

The judge also held that the sureties who stood for him in the earlier bail had applied to be discharged and had been discharged on the ground that they could not locate Kanu and did not know his whereabouts.

Justice Murtala-Nyako said the only option left for Kanu was to go to the Court of Appeal and should proceed to the appellate court to exercise his right of appeal.

Kanu's lead counsel Alloy Ejimako said in the earlier ruling of Supreme Court the apex court confirmed that Kanu never jumped bail and hence the bail granted him earlier by the appellate court ought to have been upheld and not revoked.

He added that the essence of the fresh request for bail and removal from the DSS custody was to enable him stand a fair hearing within the ambit of the law.

At the time of filing this report, Kanu was shouting on top of his voice insisting not to stand trial before any court in Nigeria.

The IPOB leader added that any attempt to put him on trial would amount to a breach of Nigeria's Constitution and the international laws.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.