Barely ten days after the Appeal Court in Nigeria dismissed the 15 count terrorism charges brought before it by the federal government against the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu and discharged him, the three justices of the Appeal Court who presided over the case have been transferred.
On Thursday October 13,2022 the Appeal Court judgment had discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu. On the basis that Kanu’s extradition from Kenya to Nigeria did not follow due process and was a flagrant violation of Nigeria’s extradition treaty and a breach of his fundamental human rights.
In what seemed like a swift reaction to the judgment, the Federal Government issued a memo dated October 17, which was signed by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, making the pronouncements of the movement of the judges from their various divisions.
According to memo he new posting for the justices was with immediate effect and that they were expected to report to their new stations by October 21.
According to the memo, the presiding justice, Jummai Hanatu Sankey, who previously was in the Gombe Division of the court, has been transferred to Awka Division, whereas Justice Oludotun Adetope-Okojie who delivered the lead judgement, was moved to Owerri, while Justice Ebiowei Tobi, the third member of the court panel was transferred to Gombe.