Court Says No: Nnamdi Kanu’s Bid to Leave Sokoto Prison Thrown Out
Court Says No: Nnamdi Kanu’s Bid to Leave Sokoto Prison Thrown Out
Court says No to Nnamdi Kanu to leave Sokoto Prison.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out a motion filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking an order for his relocation from the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
The ruling was delivered on Monday after the court held that the application was procedurally defective and could not be entertained in its present form. The court declined to consider the substantive issues raised in the motion, citing non-compliance with laid-down legal processes.
Kanu, through his legal team, had approached the court to request a transfer from the Sokoto facility, arguing that his continued detention there was unjustified. The motion also raised concerns bordering on access to legal counsel and the general conditions of his incarceration.
However, counsel to the Federal Government opposed the application, urging the court to dismiss it on the grounds that it was incompetent and improperly brought before the court. The prosecution maintained that matters relating to prison administration and inmate transfers fall within the statutory powers of the Nigerian Correctional Service and not the court, except where clear violations of law are established.
In its ruling, the court agreed with the prosecution’s argument and struck out the motion, stressing that the proper legal procedures must be followed before such reliefs can be sought. The court noted that striking out the application does not prevent the applicant from re-filing, provided all procedural requirements are met.
Nnamdi Kanu is currently facing terrorism-related charges instituted by the Federal Government. His trial has been marked by several legal applications and objections, including challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and his continued detention.
The case was adjourned to a later date for the continuation of proceedings in the substantive matter.
