Court denies Nnamdi Kanu’s fresh request for bail

IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed the fresh application the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, filed to be released on bail, pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, however, granted an accelerated hearing instead.

Counsel for the IPOB leader, Alloy Ejimakor, had at the last adjourned date urged the court to admit Nnamdi Kanu to bail before the commencement of the trial.

Ejimakor stated that Kanu’s health condition was deteriorating, adding that his continued detention by the DSS was a threat to his life.

Ejimakor also argued that the continued incarceration of Kanu would not enable him to put up a good defence in the matter.

But the counsel for the FG, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the bail application and instead grant an accelerated hearing.

He noted that the DSS has a medical facility that could take care of him.

Awomolo also accused Kanu of once jumping bail, adding that he failed to declare on oath in the affidavit filed by his lawyer that if granted bail, he wouldn’t jump bail.

He was earlier granted bail on health grounds on April 25, 2017, after spending 18 months in detention but he fled the country after an invasion of his residence by the military in September 2017.