The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, ruling that it lacked merit and had become academic following his conviction by a Federal High Court on November 20.
Kanu had sought to challenge alleged violations of his fundamental rights, including human dignity, access to healthcare, and freedom of religion, but the appellate court determined these claims could no longer proceed in light of his life imprisonment sentence.
Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo, delivering the lead judgment on Friday, noted that since Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, confirmed at the start of proceedings that his client was being held at Sokoto prison, the court could not grant a request to transfer him from the DSS facility to Kuje prison.
The appeal targeted the July 3 judgment of the Federal High Court, then presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, which had earlier dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights suit for failing to substantiate his claims. Listed as respondents in the case were the Director General of the DSS, the Department of State Services, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The court further held that because Kanu had previously indicated a preference for prison custody, his prayers could no longer be considered after his conviction and transfer to the facility of his choice. The panel ruled that the appeal had therefore become academic and no longer merited judicial consideration.
Justice Ugo concluded, “Given the conviction and subsequent transfer to the correctional facility as preferred by the appellant, the claims advanced in this appeal are academic and cannot stand. The appeal is hereby struck out.”
