The Court of Appeal says that the decision to drop the terrorism charges against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who was illegally extradited, has nothing to do with the move of 21 justices to different divisions.
Contrary to several media accounts, the appellate court said that the postings of 21 of its 81 justices were a routine procedure intended to reenergize the court’s administration of justice.
This information can be found in a statement made by Malam Umar Bangari, the Chief Registrar of the Court.
The appeals court said that none of the three justices who ruled on October 13 to let Kanu out of jail had been reassigned.
According to Bangaru, just one of the three justices who handled Kanu’s case was impacted by the relocation.
“The attention of the Court of Appeal has been drawn to a publication in the media on Oct. 24 with the caption “Nnamdi Kanu: 3 Justices on Appeal Court Panel Transferred.
“The publication in question conveyed the innuendo to the effect that the recent posting of justices of the Court of Appeal was in connection with or in response to the judgment of the Court of Oct.13 in Nnamdi Kanu versus the Federal Government.
“We wish to state categorically that the general posting of the justices of the Court of Appeal under reference was routine and aimed at reinvigorating the justice delivery system of the court.
“In fact, 21 out of 81 justices including 6 presiding justices of the court were affected by the general postings.
“It is therefore incorrect to insinuate that the justices who delivered the judgment in the Nnamdi Kanu appeal were the target of the routine posting exercise.”
The court, according to the chief registrar, has an open door policy, allowing the media easy access to ask questions and get clarity on any issue of interest to the media for the benefit of the general public.
