DSS Speaks On Release of Kanu After Appeal Court Order

Posted by Thandiubani on Fri 14th Oct, 2022 - tori.ng

But a lawyer, Jiti Ogunye insisted that the DSS was bound to obey the court order which authorised the release of the IPOB leader.

The Spokesman, Department of State Services, Dr Peter Afunanya has declined comment after being asked the next step the agency will take after a Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Punch reported that Afunaya referred inquiries to the Ministry of Justice.

But a lawyer, Jiti Ogunye insisted that the DSS was bound to obey the court order which authorised the release of the IPOB leader.

He noted that the prosecutor did not have a strong case against Kanu hence the decision of the lower court to strike out eight of the 15 charges earlier preferred against him.

Ogunye said, ‘’The lesson here is for the state to learn competency. The prosecution team was standing on quicksand even before the matter was appealed. Henceforth, the Nigerian state will have to learn competency.’’

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, said the Court of Appeal has proved that the court of law is the last hope of every Nigerian.

He said “The judgment of the Court of Appeal seems to be correct until it is set aside by the Supreme Court.

“However, there is an aspect of it that I read. The Court of Appeal held that the extradition of Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria was illegal and that illegality constitutes a bar to any further trial. That is the basis of the judgment.

“All that the Court of Appeal said is that Nnamdi Kanu ought not to have been put on trial in the first instance. The Court of Appeal has proved that the court of law is the last hope of every Nigerian.”