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The legal battle involving Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has taken a new turn as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, reassigns the case to a different judge.
Aloy Ejimakor, the principal advocate for Nnamdi Kanu, revealed from Abuja that a significant shift had occurred in the legal odyssey of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), spotlighting a contentious judicial shuffle that has gripped Nigeria’s legal corridors.
Kanu had previously demanded the withdrawal of Justice Binta Nyako from adjudicating the seven terrorism-related charges leveled against him by the federal authorities—a plea that saw Nyako step aside, relinquishing the case dossier to the Chief Judge for redistribution, only for it to be inexplicably returned to her stewardship.
Unyielding in his stance, Kanu rebuffed this reappointment, adamantly asserting that a fresh judicial mind must preside over his fate—a position that fueled a broader contestation of procedural integrity within Nigeria’s judiciary.
This defiance culminated in a formal entreaty on February 20, when Kanu’s legal representatives appealed to the nation’s top judicial arbiter, Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, imploring her to wield her administrative authority to rectify the case’s trajectory.
In a dispatch issued on Saturday, Ejimakor disclosed that the prior day, March 7, had brought twin missives concerning Kanu’s plight, heralding a pivotal juncture in the saga.
“One letter was from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, responding to a recent letter we had written to her, seeking her prompt administrative intervention (as the administrative head of the Nigerian judiciary) on the matter of a proper and lawful reassignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, following the recusal of the judge that was conducting it,” He elucidated.
Read also: Nnamdi Kanu’s Case Finally Reassigned To Another Judge
“The other letter was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, informing us that the case has been reassigned to another judge of the Federal High Court.”
Ejimakor stated that upon receiving the letters, Kanu instructed his legal team to publicly convey his sincere gratitude to the CJN for her sound administrative discretion and the promptness with which she responded to their request.
“He also expressed his profound appreciation to members of the general public who publicly supported our righteous demands that Kanu’s case be reassigned to another judge, as the law demands.
“To be clear, Kanu has always been ready to stand trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence. However, the perverse events of the past six months (from September 2024, when the recusal happened) posed significant dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to a fair and speedy hearing.
Faced with this judicial impasse, Aloy Ejimakor, Nnamdi Kanu’s chief counsel, affirmed on Saturday, March 8, 2025, that the legal team had been compelled to adopt bold and unconventional tactics to secure a lawful reassignment of the case—a seven-count terrorism charge against the detained Biafran leader—heralding a renewed commitment to due process. With the authorities now embarking on preliminary measures to restore legal propriety, Ejimakor conveyed that Kanu and his advocates intend to reassess their strategy, channeling their energies into a meticulous and spirited defense preparation, poised to confront the proceedings with unwavering resolve.
