The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday struck out the appeal filed by the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ruling that the case lacked merit and had become academic following his November 20 conviction for terrorism by a Federal High Court.
A three-member panel of Justices held in a unanimous judgment that Kanu’s claims, alleging violations of his rights to human dignity, quality healthcare and freedom of religion during his detention in the Department of State Services (DSS) facility, could no longer stand since he had now been convicted, sentenced to life imprisonment and remanded in prison custody.
In the lead judgment, Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo noted that the issues raised in the appeal had lost relevance after Kanu’s counsel, Maxwell Opara, confirmed at the start of proceedings that his client was currently being held in Sokoto prison. With that disclosure, the court said it could no longer entertain Kanu’s request to be moved from DSS custody to Kuje prison.
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Justice Ugo added that because Kanu had previously expressed preference for prison custody, the court could not grant the relocation request after his conviction and transfer to a correctional facility.
The appeal challenged the July 3 ruling of now-retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, which dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights suit for lack of proof.
The Director-General of the DSS, the DSS itself and the Attorney-General of the Federation were listed as respondents.
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