Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, says Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was discharged, but not acquitted.
A three-member panel of the appeal court led by Justice Hanatu Sankey had discharged Kanu of the charges of terrorism brought against him by the federal government.
The court held that the federal government illegally effected the arrest and return of Kanu to Nigeria, breaching international protocol.
But reacting to the judgment of the court on Thursday, Malami said Kanu had not been acquitted.
“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has received the news of the decision of the Court of Appeal concerning the trial of Nnamdi Kanu. For the avoidance of doubt and by the verdict of the Court, Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted,” he said in a statement issued by Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.
“Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public. The decision handed down by the court of appeal was on a single issues that borders on rendition.
“Let it be made clear to the general public that other issues that predates rendition on the basis of which Kanu jumped bail remain valid issues for judicial determination. The Federal Government will consider all available options open to us on the judgment on rendition while pursuing determination of pre-rendition issues.”
