The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, on Monday was before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court for the resumed hearing of his case.
Kanu’s trial was stalled after Justice Nyako recused herself from the case following an oral application by the defendant on September 24, 2024.
The IPOB leader directly told Nyako that he no longer had confidence in her handling of his trial.
However, John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, reverted the file to Nyako on the ground that Kanu’s application must be brought formally before the court through a motion on notice.
Consequently, in a letter dated December 5, 2024, addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Adegboyega Awomolo, the prosecution counsel, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial.
Opposing the request for a trial date, the defence counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in a letter dated December 9, 2024, said the ruling of the judge recusing herself remained valid.
Subsequently, Ejimakor asked that the case be transferred to a Federal High Court in the Southeast if no judge in Abuja is willing to preside over it. That, however, did not happen.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, February 10, 2025, Justice Nyako said the chief judge had not accepted the recusal and had referred the case back to her.
She asked the defence team led by Ejimakor to write a written application if they still insisted on the recusal.
Earlier, the Prosecution counsel led by Adegboyega Awomolo, said they were ready for the commencement of trial as his witnesses were ready.
