Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stated that he cannot be tried in any Nigerian court. Citing Section 15 of the Nigeria Extradition Act, Kanu claimed that legal proceedings against him in Nigeria are prohibited.
This declaration followed the Federal High Court in Abuja’s dismissal of his requests for bail and transfer from the custody of the Department of State Services to prison or house arrest on Monday.
Kanu emphasized that any attempt to try him under Nigerian law would constitute an act of terrorism, referencing Section 2, Subsection 3F of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.
He argued, “According to the Terrorism Prohibition and Prevention Act, I cannot be tried in Nigeria. Anyone attempting to try me is committing an act of terrorism. This is a legal fact, not my personal opinion.”
Kanu attributed the delays in his case to violations of international treaties, recounting his alleged abduction from Kenya and his forced return to Nigeria. He insisted that his trial could not proceed under these circumstances, stressing that such actions are unprecedented and illegal.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako noted that Kanu had previously jumped bail and that his sureties had been discharged because they could not locate him. She advised that Kanu’s only recourse was to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal.
