Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has requested that his trial be relocated to the Southeast if no judge in Abuja is willing to preside over his case.
This demand was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, after a routine meeting with Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja.
Kanu expressed his firm stance that Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Federal High Court should not oversee his trial, emphasizing her earlier recusal from the case. He directed his legal team to ensure compliance with her withdrawal, stating that a return to her court would contradict her prior decision.
In the statement, Ejimakor revealed the IPOB leader’s instructions regarding the upcoming court proceedings:
“The central issue arising at today’s visitation is the upcoming court date for the continuation of MNK’s case.
“Onyendu [Kanu] instructed the legal team to take certain prompt steps to ensure that his case is not handled by the same Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, who had withdrawn from the case by virtue of the order of recusal entered on 24th September 2024.
“The point was stressed that should the case still lie with Justice Murtala-Nyako, it would mean that the same court is disobeying an order that it made.”
Kanu further argued that if no judge in Abuja is available or willing to handle the matter, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court should reassign the trial to a jurisdiction within the Southeast or other areas of the former Eastern Region. Suggested locations include Umuahia, Awka, Enugu, Asaba, or Port Harcourt, where the alleged offenses reportedly occurred.
The controversy surrounding Justice Binta Nyako’s involvement stems from Kanu’s request for her recusal on September 24, 2024, citing a lack of confidence. Following this, Justice Nyako officially stepped down and forwarded the case to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
Kanu’s legal team is now pressing for swift action to reassign the case to a judge who can preside over it impartially and in alignment with legal and constitutional protocols.
Kanu’s demand raises significant constitutional questions regarding judicial fairness and venue jurisdiction. His insistence on transferring the trial to the Southeast reflects concerns over perceived bias and the need for adherence to procedural justice.
As the trial date approaches, all eyes remain on the Federal High Court’s Chief Judge to determine the next steps in what has become one of Nigeria’s most politically charged legal battles.
