Kanu to Judiciary: Move My Case to Southeast or Appoint a New Judge

If no other judge in Abuja is ready to preside over the case, Nnamdi Kanu, the jailed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has urged that his trial be moved to a Federal High Court in the South-East or assigned to a different judge.

After a regular meeting at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja on Wednesday, January 22, Kanu’s principal counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, revealed his demand in a statement.

The action follows Justice Nyako’s September 24, 2024, recusal from the case, which was based on Kanu’s disbelief in her ability to conduct the trial.

Kanu objected when Justice John Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, later referred the case to her.

Ejimakor claims that Kanu believes that Justice Nyako’s decision to resume the trial compromises the integrity of the legal system. He has given his legal staff instructions to make sure she doesn’t oversee the case.

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The main topic of discussion during today’s visitation is when the court hearing for MNK’s case will take place.

“Onyendu has directed the legal team to act quickly to prevent Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako from handling his case. She withdrew from the case due to the order of recusal entered on September 24, 2024,” Ejimakor said.

Additionally, Kanu’s legal team demanded that the trial be transferred to a South-East court, claiming that the alleged offenses took place there.

“The Chief Judge may transfer the case to Umuahia, Awka, Enugu, Asaba, Port Harcourt, or any other Federal High Court in the former Eastern Nigeria, where the alleged offenses were alleged to have occurred or had their impact,” the statement continued, if no other judge in Abuja is willing to take on the case.