The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has responded to recent legal developments surrounding the trial of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, particularly in light of a judgment delivered by the High Court of Kenya which declared his extraordinary rendition unlawful, unconstitutional, and a breach of international law.
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB asserted that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, remains strictly bound by the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s ruling delivered in FRN v. Nnamdi Kanu (December 2023), which governs the ongoing proceedings.
“The judgment of the Supreme Court is binding on all subordinate courts, including the Federal High Court. Regardless of any perceived irregularities, Justice Omotosho has a constitutional obligation to uphold it,” Powerful stated.
He further argued that Kanu’s rendition contravenes established international legal frameworks, citing Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibit unlawful transfers and torture.
While IPOB welcomed the Kenyan court’s condemnation of the rendition, it maintained that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction to overturn the Supreme Court’s pronouncement. The group stressed that any challenge to the apex court’s decision must proceed through appropriate appellate mechanisms, both within Nigeria’s judicial system and at the international level.
