|
Listen to article
|
A fresh directive from the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, to present himself before Justice Binta Nyako for a hearing on Monday, February 10, 2025.
In a notice dated January 22, 2025, and obtained by our correspondent on Friday, the Federal High Court formally informed Kanu’s legal team of the upcoming proceedings. The document, addressed to his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, follows the embattled separatist leader’s call for his case to be reassigned to the South-East, citing judicial hesitancy, as no other judge in Abuja, apart from Justice Nyako, had stepped forward to hear the matter.
During court proceedings on September 24, 2024, Nnamdi Kanu openly expressed his lack of confidence in Justice Nyako’s ability to fairly oversee his trial and requested her recusal. In light of his appeal, Justice Nyako withdrew from the case and handed it over to Justice Tsoho.
Despite stepping away from the case, Justice Nyako was reinstated as the presiding judge after Justice Tsoho returned the case file to her. Kanu has since maintained that allowing her to resume the trial undermines the integrity of her own withdrawal.
Determined to keep her from handling the trial, he instructed his lawyers to challenge her involvement. In response to the Monday hearing notice, Ejimakor voiced his surprise, stating that they would “appear with bated breath.”
Read also: Transfer My Case To Southeast – Nnamdi Kanu To Chief Judge
He instructed his legal team to ensure that she refrained from handling the case. Responding to the Monday hearing notice, Ejimakor expressed surprise, stating that they “shall appear with bated breath.”
Kanu has since maintained that Justice Nyako presiding over the case after her recusal would amount to a violation of her own judicial orders. He instructed his legal team to ensure that she refrained from handling the case.
The hearing notice read partly, “Suit No:FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 – Hearing notice between the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Plaintiff) and Nnamdi Kanu (Defendant). This case will be transferred from the general cause list to the hearing paper for Monday, the 10th day of February 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the forenoon and will come on to be heard on that day if the business of the court permits, or otherwise on some adjournment day of which you will receive no further notice.
“If either party desires to postpone the hearing, they must apply to the court as soon as possible for that purpose. If the application is based on any matter of fact, the applicant must be prepared to provide proof of those facts.
“The parties are warned that at the hearing, they are required to bring forward all the evidence by witnesses or documents they desire to rely on in support of their case or in contradiction of their opponent’s case.
