Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has said that the news making the rounds on the social media claiming that the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been released by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the NJC, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun is fake.
It was also rumoured that he has been released and sent to Kenya.
This was contained in a statement by the NJC’s Deputy Director (Information), Mrs Kemi Ogedengbe and made available to Journalists.
She said there was no basis for such development because the CJN is not involved in Kanu’s trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
“The attention of the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been drawn to media reports that the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the Council, Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON, has ordered the release of the detained Nnamdi Kanu and repatriate him to Kenya.
“The council wishes to state that the media report is false and a figment of the imagination of the writer, as there are no court proceedings, decision or judgment where such statements ascribed to His Lordship (the CJN) was made.
“The council categorically emphasises that the Hon. CJN neither presides over any case of Kanu at the apex court, where jurisdiction issue was argued, nor makes any such pronouncement.
“His Lordship, the Hon. CJN, never wrote any formal letter to the Kenya Government or Kenya High Commission apologising on the issue of arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and trial.
“The council urges members of the public to disregard the fake story”, the statement said.