Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has announced a reward of one million naira for any Nigerian law student who can unearth a legal precedent where a judge has granted a stay of release for someone acquitted by the court. This offer was made public by Kanu’s legal team, consisting of prominent lawyers Aloy Ejimakor, Jude Ugwuanyi, Nnaemeka Ejiofor, and Mandela Umegborogu, during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Aloy Ejiofor, speaking on behalf of the legal team, detailed the specifics of the challenge, stating, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu pledges to give any law student in any Nigerian University the sum of One Million (N1, 000, 000.00) Naira if such student finds any precedent on stay of execution in criminal proceedings where an acquitted person is by such order restrained from enjoying his freedom.” Ejiofor emphasized the unusual nature of this legal action, describing it as an “illegality that would haunt Nigeria for as long as life endures,” particularly highlighting what he perceived as ethnic bias against Kanu due to his Igbo heritage.
The legal team has been vocal about their view that Kanu’s detention by the Department of State Security Service (DSS) is not only illegal but also lacks judicial backing. They argue that Kanu’s continued incarceration is based on the false premise that he had jumped bail, a claim they refute. They point out that the Court of Appeal had previously quashed all charges against Kanu, citing issues of jurisdiction and violations of extradition laws between Nigeria and Kenya.
The contention centers around an order by Justice Tsamani of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which stayed Kanu’s release despite his acquittal. Ejiofor described this judicial decision as unlawful, unprecedented, and a direct violation of legal norms where an acquitted individual is typically freed immediately. According to them, this order represents a significant anomaly in judicial practice, which they argue has never been seen in any country‘s legal history where a person acquitted of charges is still detained through a stay of execution.
This challenge from Kanu and his legal team not only seeks to highlight what they believe are judicial irregularities in his case but also aims to engage Nigeria’s legal community in a broader discourse on legal principles and human rights. The offer of one million naira is both an incentive and a call to action for law students to delve into legal archives, potentially setting a precedent or at least sparking a significant conversation on the application of law in Nigeria.
This development underscores the ongoing legal and political saga surrounding Nnamdi Kanu, reflecting deep-seated issues about justice, ethnicity, and the rule of law in Nigeria.
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