The leader of the banned separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, will remain in detention pending the outcome of his trial, according to a recent ruling by Nigeria's Supreme Court.
The court's ruling, delivered on Friday, overturned a 2022 ruling by a lower court that had ordered Kanu's release, thus mandating his continued detention.
Judge Lawal Garba ruled that Kanu's extradition was illegal, but said his terrorism trial in a lower federal court must continue, according to media reports. The development follows an earlier ruling by an appellate court in Abuja last October, which dropped all charges against Kanu, citing his alleged unlawful arrest outside the country.
Kanu's legal team alleged that the separatist leader was detained or forcibly "abducted" in Kenya before being brought to Nigeria.
Nnamdi Kanu's history of arrests dates back to 2015, when he was charged with treason and terrorism. After his first arrest, he fled the country while out on bail. Since his reincarceration in 2021, he has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria's secret police, awaiting the resumption of his trial.
The Indigenous People of Biafra group advocates the creation of an independent state in southeastern Nigeria and has been a vocal proponent of sovereignty for the region. The group's aspirations hark back to the former Republic of Biafra, which seceded from Nigeria and led to the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) before eventually being reintegrated into Nigeria following the victory of the Nigerian army.