A legal practitioner has accused the Nigerian Bar Association of maintaining silence over critical criminal justice issues arising from the conviction of Nnamdi Kanu. The petition was addressed to the NBA and copied to the International Bar Association while the association was holding its annual conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
DailyVista247 gathered that Chidera referenced the legal history of the case involving the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. He recalled that the Court of Appeal on October 13, 2022 discharged Kanu and quashed the charges against him. Despite that decision, Kanu was not released. He argued that no judicial order suspending the effect of that appellate judgment was made, and no lawful mechanism was invoked to extinguish the consequence of the discharge, yet detention continued.
The lawyer described the development as troubling and said the NBA did not publicly address it at the time. He stated that the association, which had historically played a role in defending the rule of law, remained quiet while the situation persisted. He noted that before the Court of Appeal’s discharge, Kanu had already endured 14 months of detention without charge following his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria.
In his letter, Chidera questioned the use of civil procedure to affect a criminal appellate judgment. He argued that a government should not be allowed to disregard a criminal discharge order and then obtain judicial protection from its consequences through a civil process. He said the legal system should not normalise a situation where an appellate criminal judgment is not obeyed and is later rendered ineffective.
The letter also criticized what the lawyer described as the association's focus on formal events rather than engagement on fundamental justice issues. He referenced past contributions of senior lawyers to the defence of civil liberties and said the current leadership should speak more actively when questions about court orders and criminal procedure arise. He concluded that Kanu remains in custody while these legal questions remain unresolved.
In a separate statement on the conviction, Chidera also raised issues concerning the legal framework. He contended that some of the counts were based on the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, a law that was repealed when the National Assembly enacted a new terrorism law in 2022. He argued that a conviction entered under a repealed statute is legally void and would not withstand appellate review.
The NBA is currently holding its annual conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, an event that typically gathers thousands of lawyers, judges and stakeholders. The conference usually addresses issues of justice reform, rule of law and professional ethics.
The case of Nnamdi Kanu has generated prolonged legal debate since 2021. After his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria, legal proceedings have moved through the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. In October 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged him, but the Federal Government filed an appeal and obtained a stay of execution. The Supreme Court in December 2023 remitted the case to the Federal High Court for continuation of trial. His conviction has therefore revived discussions about the validity of the charges and the applicable terrorism legislation.
Legal analysts note that questions around repealed laws, stays of execution in criminal matters, and the enforcement of appellate discharge orders are matters that require definitive pronouncement by superior courts. The Nigerian Bar Association, as the umbrella body for lawyers, is often expected to provide guidance on such constitutional issues, while the National Judicial Council oversees judicial conduct. Both institutions have maintained that judicial decisions should be respected and that remedies lie through appellate processes.
DailyVista247 gathered that the defence team has filed a 22-ground notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking to quash the life sentence imposed on November 20, 2025.
