The Federal Government has filed terrorism-related charges against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the case.
Following Kanu’s outburst on Tuesday expressing his lack of confidence and trust in the judge to deliver justice, the judge decided to withdraw from the trial.
Kanu abruptly rose from the dock during Tuesday’s sessions, yelled at his attorney, Aloy Ejimakor, and assumed control of the court’s proceedings.
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In the tumult that erupted, Kanu after taking over the proceedings, said that he no longer has trust in Justice Binta Nyako and requested that she recuse herself immediately.
Even though Ejimakor didn’t want to sit down, Kanu repeatedly shouted at him: “Sit down. I say sit down there. Sit down, it is my order.”
At this point, Ejimakor, who was quite embarrassed, sat down as instructed by his client.
Shouting loudly, Kanu turned to face the judge and told her that he did not think she would be able to bring any justice to the treasonous allegations she was trying to handle.
Looking the judge in the face, Kanu said, “Let me tell you right away, I do not have confidence in this your court. I do not have trust in you.
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“I demand that you immediately recuse yourself from this matter. The Federal Government of Nigeria has no jurisdiction to prefer terrorism charges against me. You know the truth but you don’t want to say it.
“You are pretending that you don’t know that Nigerian government has no right, no jurisdiction to file this charges against me. You are biased against me,” he said while shouting in the open court.
The Federal Government attorney, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, was also targeted by the Biafra insurgent, who accused him of carrying out the government’s wishes in violation of the law.
He argued that he may only be charged with any criminal offence in the United Kingdom where the alleged offence was committed.
Kanu, however, strongly protested to the Federal Government’s demand that the judge step down.
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Awomolo requested permission from the court to summon his first witness, requesting that the witness remain hidden from the public eye for security concerns.
Kanu’s attorney, Ejimakor, reacted by objecting to the start of the trial and claiming that they had not prepared Kanu for any kind of trial.
Ejimakor claimed that the DSS had denied him solitude to speak with his client, that the room in which he was supposed to meet was unclean, and that the security service had forbidden a foreign worker who was hired to clean the space.
Furthermore, he asserted that he had filed three distinct appeals against the previous rulings of the high court, two of which contested the court’s jurisdiction and the third of which was pending bail.
He insisted that the trial be postponed until the Court of Appeal resolved the three appeals.
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However, his plea was denied on the grounds that it was not permitted by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Kanu has been placed in the custody of the DSS in the meantime, where he will remain until the Chief Judge transfers the matter to a different judge.
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