Nnamdi Kanu: Lawyer Ejimakor Accuses FG Of Delaying Appeal, Demands Bail Hearing

Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has accused the Nigerian government of delaying proceedings in his client’s appeal by failing to file its reply brief.

Ejimakor urged the Court of Appeal to fix a near date to hear Kanu’s pending bail application, arguing that the government’s failure to file its brief should not further delay consideration of the request.

The lawyer made the demand on Tuesday in a post on X, where he called on the appellate court to proceed with Kanu’s bail application despite the government’s failure to join issues in the appeal.

“On this #XTuesday for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I respectfully request the Court of Appeal to set a near date to consider his bail application,” Ejimakor said.

He argued that the government’s failure to join issues should not prevent the court from considering whether Kanu should be granted bail.

“Given the failure of the Nigerian government to join issues in the appeal, the next fair thing to do is to promptly consider Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for bail,” he said.

According to Ejimakor, the federal government has yet to file its reply brief to the appellant’s brief of argument, despite the expiration of the stipulated deadline.

“The Nigerian government has not yet filed its reply Brief to MNK’s Brief of argument. So, their Brief is overdue,” he said.

The lawyer maintained that it would be unfair for the Court of Appeal to continue waiting for the government while Kanu’s bail application remains pending.

“So, it’s unfair to continue waiting for them without considering Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s bail application, which is pending before the Court of Appeal,” he said.

Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025 after he was found guilty of terrorism-related offences.

He subsequently appealed the judgment, with his legal team challenging the conviction before the Court of Appeal.

Kanu was first arrested in 2015 and later returned to Nigeria in 2021 following his controversial rendition from Kenya.

The Court of Appeal had, in 2022, discharged and acquitted him, but the Supreme Court later overturned the decision and ordered the continuation of his trial.

Ejimakor’s latest demand has renewed attention on Kanu’s pending bail application as his substantive appeal against the conviction continues before the appellate court.

The lawyer had previously stated that the appeal was progressing through the required legal stages, including the exchange of briefs between Kanu’s legal team and the federal government.