The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has requested that his trial be relocated to the South-East if no judge at the Federal High Court in Abuja is willing to preside over the case apart from Justice Binta Nyako.
Kanu’s stance was conveyed in a statement released on Wednesday by his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, following a routine visit to Kanu at the Department of State Services facility in Abuja.
This demand arises after Justice Nyako recused herself from the case on September 24, 2024, citing Kanu’s loss of confidence in her handling of the trial. However, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, later reassigned the case to Justice Nyako for continuation.
Kanu has strongly opposed Justice Nyako’s resumption, claiming it undermines judicial integrity. According to Ejimakor, Kanu has directed his legal team to take immediate steps to ensure Justice Nyako does not oversee his trial.
“The central issue arising at today’s visitation is the upcoming court date for the continuation of MNK’s case. Due to its constitutional implications, Onyendu 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to take certain prompt steps to ensure that his case is not handled by the same Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, who had withdrawn from the case by virtue of the order of recusal entered on 24th September 2024,” Ejimakor stated.
Kanu’s legal team emphasised the need for a new judge to be assigned and suggested transferring the trial to a Federal High Court in the South-East, where the alleged offences reportedly occurred.
“If no other judge in Abuja is willing to handle the case, the Chief Judge is free to transfer the case to Umuahia, Awka, Enugu, Asaba, Port Harcourt, or any other Federal High Court within the former Eastern Nigeria, where the alleged offenses were said to have occurred or had their impact,” the statement read.
Justice Nyako’s initial decision to step aside followed persistent objections from Kanu regarding her handling of his case. However, the Chief Judge’s decision to reassign the matter to her has reignited concerns about judicial impartiality and fairness.
Kanu’s request for a relocation of the trial underscores the ongoing tension between the IPOB leader and the judiciary, as well as his insistence on ensuring a fair trial in a location tied to the alleged offences.