Court Issues 7 Week Ultimatum to FG Over Nnamdi Kanu
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja has given a 7 week ultimatum to the Federal Government to tender a valid and genuine reason why the Applicant, Nnamdi Kanu should not be released from detention after multiple courts granted him unconditional bail.
The ECOWAS court today, entertained a lawsuit filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, bordering on the abuse and violation of his fundamental human rights and his illegal detention against the Nigerian government.
The court proceedings began at 10am, shortly after the arrival of the plaintiff’s lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor and three-man panel of judges involving Hon. Justice Micah Wilkns Wright of Liberia, Hon. Justice Yaya Boiro of Benin Republic and Hon. Justice Alioune Sall of Senegal.
The justices in their rulings dismissed the various applications filed by the Federal government of Nigeria demanding the striking out of the suit on grounds that the regional court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
The Court however disagreed with this position, stating that it has the jurisdiction to entertain the suit since it is bordered on the enforcement of human rights of the applicant and thus dismissed the application of the FG for lacking in merit.
According to the judge: “it is an absolute garbage for the federal government of Nigeria to ask us not to rule on this matter, once Ecowas court is involved, we have the power to hear the case.”
Further submissions of the plaintiff’s lawyer was also declined by the court who affirmed it is vividly clear in this case that the Nigerian government are not able to defend the lawsuit filed against Nnamdi Kanu and that they will be no longer allowed to delay the suit as they urgently want an end to it and the detained freed unconditionally as ordered by previous Nigerian courts.
The judges in what seems to be a final opportunity to allow the Federal government to tender a valid and genuine reason why the Applicant, Nnamdi Kanu should not be granted bail, adjourned the case to 27th April, after which it will then strike out the case as they have threatened.
Mr Wright Wilkins the presiding judge in his ruling for today said: “I have to adjourn this matter to 27th of April, 2017 for final ruling, if the Nigerian government is not ready to provide cogent reasons why Nnamdi Kanu should be held unconstitutionally, we will strike out the case and do justice to the applicant”
From all indication, it seems that the Ecowas Court does not want the FG to be outrightly disgraced. It appears to be giving her enough time to rediscover her senses and do the needful but like a stubborn fly that is hellbent on following the corpse to the grave, the FG seems to be road railed to her damnation.
Ejike Ofoegbu
Reporting From Abuja
for Biafra Writers
