COURT OF APPEAL STRIKES OUT NNAMDI KANU’S APPEAL, RULES IT LACKS MERIT

Justices say the application has become academic as legal arguments no longer address the current position of the case

By Wapcodehub9ja LIVE News Correspondent — Reporting Live from Abuja, FCT

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out the appeal filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ruling that the case lacked merit and had become academic. The decision was delivered after the court examined the submissions made by Kanu’s legal team and found that the issues raised no longer aligned with the current status of the trial.

According to the court, the appeal sought reliefs that were no longer applicable to the present judicial position of the matter, rendering the argument ineffective. The justices noted that the legal questions before them had already been overtaken by developments in the lower court, leading to the conclusion that the appeal was no longer capable of producing any practical legal effect.

During the hearing, Kanu’s lawyers insisted that the Court of Appeal should revisit earlier decisions concerning his detention and trial. However, the judges held that the submissions failed to address the updated procedural posture of the case at the Federal High Court, where several rulings have since been delivered on the charges against him.

The appellate court emphasized that it does not issue rulings on matters that have become academic or speculative, stressing that appeals must strictly relate to live issues that can influence outcomes. The panel maintained that courts are obligated to avoid delivering judgments that serve no judicial purpose or have no impact on the controversy at hand.

While the ruling has generated mixed reactions, it marks another major setback for Kanu’s legal efforts to challenge his continued prosecution. His supporters have consistently argued that the government’s handling of the case violates principles of justice and fair hearing, while authorities maintain that the charges against him are clear and supported by evidence.

The case is expected to continue at the Federal High Court, where Kanu still faces multiple charges under the nation’s laws. His legal team is reviewing the ruling and is expected to announce its next steps in the coming days as the matter continues to attract national and international attention.