HURIWA slams Appeal Court for granting stay of execution on Kanu’s case

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Friday criticized the Court of Appeal for stopping the execution of the judgment which freed the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, of treasonable charges.

A three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie had on October 13 discharged the IPOB leader of all the 15-count charge of treasonable felony and terrorism filed against him by the Federal Government last year.

The panel also faulted the repatriation of the activist from Kenya on June 27, 2021.

However, another panel of the appellate court led by Justice Haruna Tsanami on Friday ordered that the execution of the previous judgment which freed Kanu on the charges be put on hold.

However, in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA described the judiciary as the captive of the executive arm of government.

READ ALSO: IPOB leader, Kanu, to remain in detention as A’Court stays execution of its judgement

The group stressed that the court has justified the use of self-help measures by disgruntled citizens with its decision to grant a stay of execution on the previous ruling on Kanu.

It wondered why the Court of Appeal did not require the federal government to respect the ruling first before appealing, and it also denounced the court’s subordination to President Muhammadu Buhari’s antics.

“Today is indeed a calamitous day for the Nigerian judiciary whereby the wheel of justice was derailed by political correctness and fear of the unknown,” HURIWA said.

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