A Federal High Court, FHC, in Abuja, on Monday, adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, indefinitely, after a heated argument in which Kanu insisted that a court of appeal judgment could not be overtaken by a memo of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
Details of his argument, in which he berated a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is already gone viral on social media. Everyday.ng cannot post the
Video for legal reasons.
Justice Binta Nyako, postponed the case after Kanu and his counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, insisted that the trial judge no longer had jurisdiction to preside over the case following her earlier recusal.
Justice Nyako had, on Sept. 24, 2024, recused (withdrew) herself from the trial of Mr Kanu, after an oral application from the defence and the case file was transferred to the chief judge.
However, the Chief Judge of FHC, Justice John Tsoho sent the 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 were said to have been committed if no judge in Abuja was willing to take his case.
Ejimakor, lawyer to Kanu, on Monday in an X post said: “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 centre stage & spoke eloquently. Case adjourned sine die (indefinitely),” he wrote.
Earlier, Justice Nyako said the chief judge had not accepted her recusal and had referred the case back to her.
She asked the defence team led by Ejimakor to come up with a written application if they still insisted on the recusal.
The Prosecution counsel led by Adegboyega Awomolo [SAN] said they were ready for the commencement of trial as his witnesses were ready.
Addressing the court, Kanu questioned why he was brought before Justice Nyako.
He said all that the judge said was meaningless to him.
He said he did not recognise the authority of the court presided over by Justice Nyako.
The IPoB leader said he was only in court because of the respect he had for the rule of law, adding that the judge had previously recused herself from the case.
Kanu said he was not happy with the decision of the chief judge, who returned the case to Justice Nyako, insisting that the prosecution could not prosecute him.
The IPoB leader insisted that Justice Nyako was biased and should not preside over his case.
He said poor knowledge of the court was affecting Nigeria.
The prosecution counsel objected to Kanu’s remarks and asked for a definite date for hearing since the prosecution had refused to file a written application.
Awomolo said it was not right for Kanu to insult the court.
Kanu insisted that he wanted the rule of law to prevail and not the aberration that was ongoing, flashing court orders and other documents.
