Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has expressed his willingness to negotiate with the Federal Government.
This was revealed during a court proceeding on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Kanu is facing a seven-count charge of terrorism and treasonable felony.
Kanu’s legal team, led by Mr. Alloy Ejimakor, cited Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act, which allows for amicable resolution of legal matters.
Ejimakor informed the court of their decision to explore this option after moving two applications on Kanu’s behalf. One application sought to imprison the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, for contempt of court, while the other challenged the court’s jurisdiction to continue the trial.
Ejimakor emphasized that if the court dismisses these applications, they would invoke Section 17 of the FHC Act, which encourages reconciliation and settlement. “Section 17 of Federal High Court Rules states that in any proceedings, the court may consider reconciliation and settlement,” he added.
In response, the Federal Government’s lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, stated that he lacked the authority to negotiate as it was not part of his mandate from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
He explained that only the AGF has the power to engage in such negotiations, given the nature of the charges.
“If he is interested in negotiating, he knows the right place, the Attorney General of the Federation’s office,” Awomolo said.
Justice Binta Nyako, presiding over the case, noted that the court’s role is to adjudicate the matters presented before it, not to facilitate negotiations between the parties.
She indicated that it was up to the parties to decide on negotiations independently. “If you want to discuss with the AGF, no problem at all,” Justice Nyako remarked.
Kanu’s legal journey has been tumultuous. Arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return from the United Kingdom, he was granted bail on health grounds on April 25, 2017, after 18 months in detention.
However, after being released from Kuje prison on April 28, 2017, Kanu fled the country following a military raid on his home, which resulted in the deaths of several of his followers.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021, and was extradited to Nigeria on June 27, 2021. Since then, he has been held in DSS custody. On April 8, 2022, the court dismissed eight of the 15 charges against him for lack of substance.
Subsequently, on October 13, 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered his immediate release and quashed the charges.
However, the Federal Government appealed to the Supreme Court, which on December 15, 2023, vacated the appellate court’s judgment and permitted the trial on the remaining seven charges to proceed.
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