Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has disclosed that the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has the power to order the release of the pro-Biafra agitator.
Ejimakor explained that Malami has the power to discontinue any legal proceedings he initiated.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had disclosed that he will consider the release of Kanu after traditional and religious leaders in the south-east asked him to grant amnesty to the IPOB leader to deescalate tension in the zone.
Buhari had made the promise while responding to an appeal by some South-East leaders under the aegis of the Highly Respected Igbo Greats, led by First Republic parliamentarian and Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In a tweet, Ejimakor anchored his remark on Section 174 of the Nigerian constitution, maintaining that the Executive has the power to release Kanu and not the judiciary.
According to Ejimakor: “Sec. 174 of the Constitution says: ‘The Attorney General of Nigeria shall have the power to DISCONTINUE any criminal proceedings instituted by him.
“The UNCONDITIONAL release of #NnamdiKanu lies with the Executive, NOT the Judiciary.”