The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has rejected the Federal Government’s bid to resume his trial, insisting that Justice Binta Nyako must recuse herself from the case.
Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lead counsel, disclosed this development via his official X account. He emphasized that Justice Nyako’s previous decision to step aside remains legally binding.
> “Justice Nyako entered and enrolled an order recusing herself on September 24, 2024. To date, that order remains extant and subsisting,” Ejimakor stated, accusing the prosecution of misleading the court.
Kanu has maintained that the judge’s impartiality is in question, rendering her unfit to preside over his case.
Kanu faces charges of alleged treasonable felony and terrorism, all of which he has consistently denied. Arrested in 2015, he fled Nigeria in 2017 after being granted bail on health grounds. Following his re-arrest in Kenya in 2021, he has since been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS).
At the September 2024 court session, Justice Nyako agreed to recuse herself, forwarding the case to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. However, the Chief Judge returned it to her, citing her familiarity with the case.
Despite the Chief Judge’s directive for Kanu to file a formal motion for the judge’s recusal, the Federal Government requested a new trial date in December 2024.
This led to a heated exchange during the last hearing, where Kanu openly questioned the court’s impartiality and requested Justice Nyako’s withdrawal.
In response, the prosecution counsel argued for the continuation of the trial, dismissing Kanu’s objections as baseless.
Kanu’s legal battle continues to capture public attention, with his refusal to proceed under Justice Nyako adding a new layer of complexity to the case.
The IPOB leader insists on a fair trial, a demand that resonates with his supporters.
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