A federal high court in Abuja presided over by Justice Binta Nyako has adjourned indefinitely the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on terrorism charges.
The adjournment this Monday followed Mazi Kanu’s insistence that the judge cannot preside over his case having earlier recused herself.
The leader of IPOB questioned the jurisdiction of his alleged terrorism case when he re-appeared before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court for the resumed hearing of his protracted case.
Mazi Kanu had directly told the judge that he no longer had confidence in her handling of his trial but the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, reverted the file to Nyako on the ground that Kanu’s application must be brought formally before the court through a motion on notice.
At the resumed hearing this Monday, February 10, 2025, 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 insist 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.
Addressing the court, a highly infuriated Kanu questioned why he was brought before Justice Nyako, declaring that all the judge said was meaningless to him as he does not recognise the authority of the court presided by Justice Nyako over him.
The IPOB leader made it clear that his presence in the court was because of the respect he has for the rule of law, pointing out that the judge had previously recused herself from the case.
Kanu expressed sadness over the decision of the chief judge to return the case to Justice Nyako, insisting that Justice Nyako is biased over his case and should not preside over it.
Recall Kanu has been facing terrorism charges since 2015.
The IPOB Leader was first arrested in October 2015 by the Nigerian government on charges including treasonable felony, inciting violence, and operating an illegal organization.
After spending more than a year in detention, Kanu was granted bail in April 2017 under strict conditions. However, in September 2017, his home in Abia State was raided by the Nigerian military during “Operation Python Dance.” Following the raid, Kanu disappeared and was later discovered to have fled Nigeria.
For almost four years, his whereabouts remained largely unknown until June 2021, when the Nigerian government announced that Kanu had been rearrested in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria. Since his return to detention, Kanu has faced multiple court hearings.
