Former IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, has criticised the move to the Sokoto Custodial Centre.
On Monday, Ejimakor addressed Kanu’s ability to pursue his appeal from Sokoto while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief program, describing the transfer as “surprising” and “insensitive.”
“It surprised me, and I think everyone else did it, that he was taken from Abuja and transported to Sokoto, which is in the northernmost part of North-West Nigeria,” I said.
You’ll start to wonder if Sokoto can pursue this appeal. You’ll inquire about how he will go about filing it, he said.
READ ALSO: [UPDATED] Court Sentences Nnamdi Kanu To Life Imprisonment, Claims IPOB Leader To Be An “International Terrorist”
In accordance with Justice James Omotosho’s ruling, the Department of State Services moved Kanu to the Sokoto facility on Friday. According to a security source, the transfer occurred after his terrorism conviction and sentence.
Jurisdiction-related Questions
The lawyer argued that the Abuja Division remained the appropriate venue while the Sokoto Division of the Court of Appeal claimed that the case was not in the hands of the court of appeal.
The judge is not to blame for placing him in Sokoto. The executive branch, particularly the Correctional Service, is in charge once a sentence is issued. These concerns were perhaps not taken into account in that decision. His rights are being treated very poorly. Prisoners still have rights.
“Can Nnamdi Kanu successfully file his appeal or even start it from that location in Sokoto?” No, that’s the answer. In an effort to improve the detention conditions, what might transpire in the upcoming days or weeks.
There are other prisons in Abuja, according to the statement. He claimed that having those amenities nearby his relatives and legal advisors would have been better.
Ejimakor explained that Kanu’s presence was required unless he hired a lawyer, and that filing an appeal required several physical tasks.
He must file a notice of appeal, request transcripts, pay for them, review them, and participate in other court-related matters.
He said, “He has not yet indicated that he is going to hire any lawyer or inform anyone.”
Ejimakor claimed that Kanu’s lengthy trial demonstrated the system’s resolve to pursue him. He claimed that the development “demonstrates the system’s disdain for him.”
Judgement in the court
On Thursday, Justice Omotosho found Kanu guilty of terrorism on seven counts and gave him a life sentence.
Kanu’s broadcasts were used by the court to sabotage infrastructure, threaten diplomatic missions, and incite attacks against security forces.
Justice Omotosho ruled that self-determination couldn’t be achieved through violence and that Nigeria remained an indivisible state. He ordered Kanu’s transmitter to be taken away and placed him in a secure location without access to the internet.
READ MORE: “We Are Heading To Appeal,” Kanu’s Lawyer To Challenge Judgment
Kanu’s legal team has pledged to appeal the verdict, calling the sentence excessive.
Ejimakor criticized Kanu’s move to Sokoto in a statement posted on his X handle. Kanu was far removed from his supporters, family, and legal team, according to him.
In 2015, Kanu was first detained for treason and terrorism. Following a military raid on his home in 2017, he fled Nigeria. In disputed circumstances, he was detained again in Kenya in 2021 and later reappapprehended in Nigeria.
Source: Channels TV
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