"Inappropriate, Biased and Wrong!" How Justice Tsoho ERRED in law - IPOB responds to Tsoho Nnamdi Kanu's bail ruling

"Inappropriate, Biased and Wrong!" How Justice Tsoho ERRED in law - IPOB responds to Tsoho Nnamdi Kanu's bail ruling

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in a recent press release has criticised Justice John Tsoho's ruling denying Nnamdi Kanu bail.

In the release titled "The denial of bail for Nnamdi Kanu by Hon. Justice John Tsoho" IPOB described the ruling as "inappropriate, biased and wrong".

Below is the full press release:

On the bail application before Hon. Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja Federal High Court Three, the Honourable Judge ruled that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will not be granted bail. He premised his judgment on three reasons and these are: 

1) That Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was a threat to national security. 

2) That if released, Nnamdi Kanu might commit the same offence again. 

3) That there was a probability that Nnamdi Kanu might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship. 

While the first and the third reasons are very clear but unsustainable statements, we are at loss with the second reason and do not know exactly what the Hon. Justice meant by “might commit the same offence again.” 

To the best of our knowledge, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has not even been tried in court not to talk of being convicted. Therefore, we do not understand the offence he was found guilty of committing and for which he will likely commit again if released, according to Hon. Justice John Tsoho. Is it a possibility that the Hon. Justice John Tsoho misspoke or that he never actually uttered this travesty of a statement? 

On the first reason adduced, we are yet to get detailed information on what the Judge meant by “threat to National Security” because we know that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not associated with Boko Haram or any terrorist organization. Again we are pushed to believe that Hon. Justice John Tsoho misspoke. 

Finally, on the third reason, we are shocked to hear that a denial of bail will be based on the accused person’s dual citizenship. Even though the Honourable Judge did not mention the other country to which Nnamdi Kanu is a citizen, we know he was referring to Britain. 

But we also know that there is extradition agreement between Nigeria and Britain and extraditing Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria should he flee to Britain will not be a problem for the Nigerian government. Therefore, we conclude that the judgment of Hon. Justice John Tsoho is inappropriate, biased, wrong, and must be overturned by an Appeal court Judge. 

Signed 

Barrister Emma Nmezu 

Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya 

Spokesperson for Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)