FG will explore other means to nab Kanu, Malami says

The Federal Government has said it would explore other legal options to continue the trial of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN, stated this while reacting to the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which discharged Kanu.

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal on Thursday said the Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to try Kanu in view of his abduction and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria in flagrant violation of the OAU Convention and protocol on extradition.

In its response, Malami, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, said Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted, adding that other legal options will be explored by the government for his trial.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has received the news of the decision of the Court of Appeal concerning the trial of Nnamdi Kanu. For the avoidance of doubt and by the verdict of the Court, Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted.

“Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public” he said.

In the statement, Malami argued that the issue decided by the Court of Appeal was on his rendition, saying that other issues which predated his rendition remain valid issues for judicial determination.

Malami said, “The decision handed down by the court of appeal was on a single issues that borders on rendition.

“Let it be made clear to the general public that other issues that predate rendition on the basis of which Kanu jumped bail remain valid issues for judicial determination.

‘The Federal Government will consider all available options open to us on the judgment on rendition while pursuing determination of pre-rendition issues.”