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| Nnamdi Kanu: Nigerian court drops charges against separatist Ipob leader | Nnamdi Kanu: Nigerian court drops charges against separatist Ipob leader |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nnamdi Kanu - who holds a UK passport - fled Nigeria in 2017 before being arrested in 2021 | Nnamdi Kanu - who holds a UK passport - fled Nigeria in 2017 before being arrested in 2021 |
| Nigeria's Appeal Court has dropped all charges against separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu after ruling that he had been illegally arrested abroad. | Nigeria's Appeal Court has dropped all charges against separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu after ruling that he had been illegally arrested abroad. |
| The court also ruled that his extradition had been illegal. | The court also ruled that his extradition had been illegal. |
| The ruling by a panel of three judges is seen as a major blow to the government which had detained Mr Kanu on various treason and terrorism-related charges. | The ruling by a panel of three judges is seen as a major blow to the government which had detained Mr Kanu on various treason and terrorism-related charges. |
| He leads the banned indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) group. | He leads the banned indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) group. |
| Ipob is campaigning for the creation of an independent state in south-eastern Nigeria. | Ipob is campaigning for the creation of an independent state in south-eastern Nigeria. |
| Mr Kanu - who holds a UK passport - fled Nigeria in 2017 before he was seized and brought back in 2021. | Mr Kanu - who holds a UK passport - fled Nigeria in 2017 before he was seized and brought back in 2021. |
| His 2021 arrest abroad was illegal because extradition protocol was not followed, the court said. | |
| Kenya has not commented on whether it played a role in Mr Kanu's deportation to Nigeria. | Kenya has not commented on whether it played a role in Mr Kanu's deportation to Nigeria. |
| The Appeal Court also ruled the Federal High Court did not have the jurisdiction to try Mr Kanu. | The Appeal Court also ruled the Federal High Court did not have the jurisdiction to try Mr Kanu. |
| He initially faced 15 charges, but eight had previously been dropped. | He initially faced 15 charges, but eight had previously been dropped. |
| He was originally arrested in 2015 but he fled Nigeria in 2017 while out on bail. He had previously denied any wrongdoing. | He was originally arrested in 2015 but he fled Nigeria in 2017 while out on bail. He had previously denied any wrongdoing. |
| Ipob wants a group of states in the south-east of the country, largely inhabited by members of the Igbo ethnic group, to break away from Nigeria and form an independent nation called Biafra. | Ipob wants a group of states in the south-east of the country, largely inhabited by members of the Igbo ethnic group, to break away from Nigeria and form an independent nation called Biafra. |
| In 1967 Igbo leaders declared independence for the state of Biafra, but after a civil war, which led to the deaths of up to a million people, the secessionist rebellion was defeated. | In 1967 Igbo leaders declared independence for the state of Biafra, but after a civil war, which led to the deaths of up to a million people, the secessionist rebellion was defeated. |
| But the idea of Biafra has never gone away and despite the arrests of his members, Mr Kanu's movement has seen a recent swell in its numbers. | But the idea of Biafra has never gone away and despite the arrests of his members, Mr Kanu's movement has seen a recent swell in its numbers. |