A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), indefinitely.
Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the suit on Monday following Kanu’s insistence that she could not preside over his case since she had recused herself, reports TheNiche.
Nyako recused herself from the trial on September 24, 2024, after an oral application from the defence. The case file was transferred to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
However, Tsoho sent Kanu’s case file back to Justice Nyako for adjudication, insisting that a formal application must be made by the defence before the recusal could be accepted.
Kanu asked that the case be transferred to the South-East where the allegations against him are said to have been committed if no judge in Abuja is willing to take his case.
The IPOB leader’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, briefly explained what transpired in court on Monday in an X post.
“Today’s ‘hearing’ of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case is concluded. We stood our ground & told the Judge that she no longer possesses jurisdiction over MNK & that we appeared ‘under protest’. Onyendu took the center stage & spoke eloquently. Case adjourned sine die (indefinitely),” he wrote.
Nnamdi Kanu was right in stance to refuse Justice Nyako to assume the trial after recusing herself of the trial. There is no order or application from Mr. Kanu insisting that she return and take on the case. She cannot generally return to the same case.
The case file should as court rule be passed to clean judge to continue the hearing.
She probably recuse herself due to potential conflict of interest or appearance of bias or any reason best known to her which she sees she will not be able impartially preside over the same case.
The Court reassign the case to another judge of court. Justice should be done devoid of impunity in Nigerian judiciary. The world is watching this case very keenly. Nigerian nation seems to countinue war of attrition against the Igbos despite the war stopped over many years ago.