The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed his willingness to negotiate with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
This development occurred during the resumed proceedings of his ongoing terrorism and treasonable felony trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Kanu’s legal team, led by Mr. Alloy Ejimakor, indicated that they might explore the option for an amicable resolution under Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act, which allows for reconciliation in proceedings.
“Section 17 of the Federal High Court Rules states that in any proceedings, the court may consider reconciliation and settlement,” said Ejimakor.
The move to seek negotiation comes after Ejimakor filed two applications on behalf of Kanu. One application sought to have the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, committed to prison for contempt of court. The other challenged the court’s jurisdiction over the case.
Ejimakor emphasized that if the court dismissed these applications, invoking Section 17 of the FHC Act would be the next step.
However, the Federal Government’s lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, clarified that he lacked the authority to engage in such negotiations.
“Only the Attorney-General of the Federation has the authority to negotiate or take further steps in relation to this matter,” Awomolo stated. “If he is interested in negotiating, he knows the right place, the Attorney General of the Federation office.”
Responding to the discourse, Justice Binta Nyako noted that the court’s role is to adjudicate on matters brought before it, not to facilitate negotiations.
“It is left for the parties to agree on the way they want the matter to go,” Justice Nyako remarked. “If you want to discuss with the AGF, no problem at all.”
Kanu’s history of legal battles includes his initial arrest in Lagos on October 14, 2015, and subsequent bail granted on health grounds in April 2017 after 18 months in detention. After a military operation at his residence in Abia State in 2017, Kanu fled Nigeria, but was re-arrested and extradited from Kenya in June 2021. He has been in DSS custody since June 2021.
Previously, in April 2022, the court struck out eight of the 15 charges against Kanu, deeming them unsubstantial. In October 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered his release and quashed the charges, a decision later challenged by the Federal Government at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s December 2023 ruling allowed for Kanu’s trial on the remaining charges to proceed.
