IPOB: Appeal Court Clarifies Transfer Of ‘Judges’ After Panel Quashed FG’s Charge Against Nnamdi Kanu
The Court of Appeal Headquarters, Abuja has denied reports that it transferred the 3-man panel of Justices that discharged the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, of all terrorism-related charges instituted against him by the Federal Government.
THE WHISTLER earlier reported that a three-man panel led by Justice Jummai Hannatu, from Gombe Division, slammed FG’s executive ‘lawlessness’ while discharging the IPOB leader.
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But a number of media platforms (NOT THE WHISTLER) reported afterward that the 3 Justices on the Appeal Court Panel in question were transferred.
Our correspondent observed that a new panel led by Justice Haruna S. presided over the FG’s stay of execution application before the same Court of Appeal on Monday.
Clarifying the reports on transfer in a statement obtained by our correspondent, the Chief Registrar Umar M. Bangari Esq., said that only one member of the panel was transferred.
Bangari insisted that the transfer had nothing to do with the Kanu case but was part of a routine schedule.
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The statement partly reads,” The publications in question conveyed the innuendo to the effect that the recent postings of justices of the Court of Appeal were in connection with, or in response to the judgment of the Court of Appeal of 13th October. 2022 in Nnamdi Kanu V. the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We wish to state categorically that the general postings of the Justices of the Court of Appeal under reference were 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 postings.
“Indeed, of the 3 Justices that sat and determined the said Appeal, only one was affected by the general postings.
“It is therefore incorrect and uncharitable to insinuate that the Hon. Justices who delivered the judgment in the Nnamdi Kanu Appeal were the targets of the routine posting exercise.”
