The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ruling that it lacked merit and had become academic following his conviction for terrorism offences by a Federal High Court on November 20.
In a judgment delivered on Friday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that Kanu’s claim that his fundamental rights to human dignity, quality health care, and religion were being violated during his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) could no longer stand.
His life imprisonment sentence and continued remand in prison made his claim no longer feasible.
Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo, delivering the lead judgment, noted that the case had become academic after Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, confirmed that his client was being held at Sokoto prison. The court said it could not order a transfer to Kuje prison, as Kanu had requested, since he was already in the custody he preferred.
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Justice Ugo added that, given Kanu’s conviction and his placement in the prison of his choice, the court could not grant any of his remaining requests.
The appeal challenged a July 3 ruling by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja (now retired), which had earlier dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights enforcement suit, finding that he failed to substantiate his claims.
The respondents in the appeal were the Director-General of the DSS, the DSS itself, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
