Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader
DSS fails to produce Kanu in court, as Justice Nyako adjourns trial to Oct. 21
Despite the heavy presence of its operatives at the resumed trial of leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in Abuja, Monday, the Department of Security (DSS) failed to produce the defendant at Federal High Court.
The development prompted presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako to adjourn hearing in the trial to October 21 with a warning to the DSS to be conscious of court dates.
The visibly worried Justice Nyako who berated the DSS for failing to produce the defendant in court, said she had been waiting in her chambers for the highly-anticipated trial to commence.
Overruling counsel to the prosecutor’s request for the defendant to be tried in absentia, Justice Nyako insisted that Kanu must be physically brought to court for trial to continue.
The judge, however, while adjourning till October 21, also ruled that Kanu should remain in the custody of the DSS until the new date for hearing.
Earlier, the DSS had not only cordoned off the entire premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in addition to sealing off adjoining roads, also arrested human rights notable activists like former presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, as well as some IPOB members who had all converged on the court venue to show solidarity with Kanu.
Kanu’s lawyers had earlier appealed to Justice Nyako to transfer their client to the Kuje correctional centre, instead of the DSS custody in Abuja.
Former Anambra State governor, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife had led a delegation of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo to the resumed hearing in the trial of leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in Abuja, Monday.
Ezeife was appointed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo to lead a delegation that will monitor court proceedings in the trial of Kanu in Abuja by the Nigerian government..
Kanu was brought to court by the DSS to resume his trial listed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to be for offences bordering on ‘terrorism, treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and management of an unlawful society.’
According to Malami, the United Kingdom-resident Kanu was arrested and extradited on Sunday, June 27, from a yet-to-be-disclosed country ‘following a collaborative effort between security agencies in Nigeria and the International Police (Interpol).’
Justice Binta Nyako had ordered that the IPOB leader be denied another bail and instead be kept in custody until July 26, 2021 for continuation of his trial.
Kanu had earlier jumped the bail application posted by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, as he allegedly fled to the United Kingdom to avoid prosecution by the Federal Government.
Kanu was first granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons, however, owing to his absence in court, Justice Nyako, who granted him the application, revoked it and ordered that he should be arrested.
The IPOB leader dismissed the arrest warrant issued against him and vowed to remain abroad to continue agitating for Biafra.
However, operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), Tuesday, produced the IPOB leader and subsequently arraigned him before the Abuja court. He was produced in court in handcuffs before Justice Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for last month’s proceedings.
