FG tells Appeal Court why Nnamdi Kanu won’t be Released

The Federal Government has given reasons why the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu will not be released.

According to the Federal Government, Kanu poses a security threat to nation, adding that he will leave the country as soon as he is released.

This was contained in an affidavit filed by Assistant State Counsel in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. David Kaswe, and submitted before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

Recall that on 13th October, a Federal Court cleared Kanu of all the 15-count terrorism charge the federal government levied against him.

In the affidavit, Kaswe cited the case between Asari Dokubo vs the Federal Government as a good example where an individual’s rights took second place to national security.

“It is important to appreciate the gamut of depositions in our application. The Respondent is a flight risk person and one of the ground of our application is that this matter touches on national security of the state.

“We further rely on the case of FRN Vs Dokubo, where the Supreme Court held that where national security is threatened or when there is likelihood of it being threatened, human rights take secondary place.

“The defendant has shown that he has the capacity to jump bail or to escape from lawful custody. There is reasonable intelligence that the enforcement of judgement of this court, pending determination of our appeal at the Supreme Court, may impact negatively on the declining security in the South East.

“No court can close its eyes on activities happening around it. As we speak, the entire social media is awash with threat to security in the country.

“Once there is a threat to national security, human rights of any individual can be suspended until such threat is taken care of.

“Once security of the nation is in jeopardy, the individual right may not even exist,” government’s lawyer argued.