You Can’t Win All Battles, Supreme Court Tells Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Agabi

…Let IPOB Leader Know His Fate Quickly, Agabi Reacts

The Supreme Court has acknowledged the legal exploits and advocacies of the lead counsel of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Kanu Agabi, but said as a human he cannot win all (legal) battles.

Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Agim, said this while interacting with Agabi in open court after he dismissed the IPOB leader’s cross-appeal and ordered his trial on terrorism and treasonable felony charges by the federal government

Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, joined Kanu’s legal team recently at the Supreme Court.

“My lord, we are grateful to you. The law is what your lordship says it is. We thank you. The Lord bless you,” Agabi told Justice Emmanuel after he failed to get his client released.

Responding, Agim said: “Chief Agabi, you know you have won thousands of battles, but you can’t win all battles.

“I must say this, you are one of the finest lawyers in this country, highly respected in every part of this country.”

Moreso, Justice Emmanuel told Agabi to note that advocacy will not override what has been contemplated by law.

Agabi then rose once again to thank the apex court for its judgement on the IPOB leader.

Agabi, however, called for the speedy trial of his client – a case which began in 2015.

Agabi said, “Thank you my lord. I had hoped, I had to pray and prayed that this judgement will come our way and we will go out there and say this is the day of peace.

“Still, it is the day of peace. We must give thanks to God because we must thank Him in every situation.

“My lord, what you have decided is the law and we stand by it.

“We must go from here and pray and urge that the court should do quickly. I had visited this gentleman (Kanu) in detention and I feel very sorry for him.

“Whatever he has done, let the law take its course quickly so that he might know his fate.”

Agabi expressed happiness that the apex court also condemned security forces for violating the rights of his client through extraordinary rendition and unlawful invasion of his home.

David Kaswe, counsel representing the FG, thanked the apex court for its “well-considered judgement.”

He added that the law enforcement agencies would be properly guided by the apex court’s position on their enforcement of the law.

In its judgement on Friday, the apex court held that the IPOB leader’s legal team did not “cite any Nigerian law” to help its client.

The apex court condemned the security agencies for illegally extraditing the IPOB leader to face trial.

But Justice Emmanuel held that there is no Nigerian legislation that says the trial court no longer has jurisdiction where the prosecution has violated the right of a Nigerian.

The apex court, in a unanimous decision, further held that the trial court is expected to preside over a criminal case and make pronouncement on it, one way or the other.