Kanu's Court Case: An Essential Test On Nigeria Judicial System

 Kanu's Court Case: An Essential Test On Nigeria Judicial System It is no more news that the court case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of t...

 Kanu's Court Case: An Essential Test On Nigeria Judicial System

It is no more news that the court case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra(IPOB) is slated for 18th to 20th January, 2022. This case is apparently a case between Biafra and Nigeria. It is expected that court of the presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako will pass her ruling on the case, on either of those days because the trial has had months-long of postponement.

Recall that this case of the IPOB leader started since far back as 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari became the president of Nigeria and has lingered up till now. Mazi Kanu was earlier arrested in 2015, but was later released on bail in 2017. He was making his subsequent court appearances from home at this time before the Nigeria military invaded his residence the same year, on an attempt to murder him.

This was happening in just a few days to one of the court appearance dates. But thankfully he miraculously escaped death. Sadly, this incident left over twenty-eight (28) of his supporters dead.

Now, Fast-forwarding to 2021, Kanu was again abducted from Kenya and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria. Which is completely against international laws on extradition process.

In my opinion, this very case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is possibly among one of the toughest cases that Nigeria as a country has ever handled in any of her courts.

We have been hearing how compromising, incompetent and independent the Nigeria judiciary has always been, and they have been getting away with all that, but this Kanu's trial is one that can best be related to a bone sticking in one's neck. And this time, in the neck of Nigeria and her judiciary.

The president in power, the Fulani cabals and many other corrupt politicians have always dictated for Judges. We have seen several cases where judgements were given in favour of the highest bidder. 

The recent among them was the court pronouncement of Imo state election, where a candidate (Hope Uzodimma) that scored fourth(4th) position in an election later became the first candidate, through the pronouncement of a supreme court controlled by the politicians.

This is what you see in a country where the appointment of Judges is done by the President, and not by the judiciary or by merit.

Interestingly, this case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is no more a case that can be played over by a possibly bought over Judge like Binta Nyako, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's case has become an international case. International medias are set and ready for the coverage of the case. The whole world is listening to hear what the pronouncement of the presiding Judge, Binta Nyako will be.

The Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari during his last interview with Channels Television rightly said that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should go to court and defend himself. But the question now is, would he(the President) allow the judges do their works without interference?

The body language of the president, his previous actions are already answers to the question. No, he is not likely to let that happen.

However, it is a time to test the Nigeria judiciary. To see if they will defend the integrity of the judiciary or be ordered around by the politicians.

Written by Chidiebere Obulose

Edited by Ogah C S Maduabuchi

Family Writers Press International.

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