The lead counsel to the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor has asked Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja to recuse herself from the trial of Kanu.
Ejiofor who stated this on Tuesday also said that contrary to reports, the legal team which he led did not stage a walkout from the court during Kanu’s trial on November 10 following the refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow some of them to gain access into the courtroom.
He said, “My client and by extension, the legal team has no implicit confidence in the court to proceed in this case.
“So, going forward, we are activating processes to urge my Lord to recuse herself from this case so that the Chief Judge would give a directive to that effect. It is open now even before a layman on the street, it’s clear that she is partial.
“So, now let me say this to you; this is a case in which we are representing a race, not Nnamdi Kanu. This is a case involving Igbo’s not Nnamdi Kanu alone we’re representing a race in this case.
“As sensible as serious as this case may be, it shouldn’t have been treated with this sense of levity.”
It could be recalled that on November 7 reported that Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s counsel, said Kanu’s legal team would take urgent and decisive measures over the arbitrary adjournment of the case.
Taking to his Twitter handle last Wednesday, Ejimakor had described the acts of Justice Nyako at Wednesday’s trial as a “travesty of Justice”.
He had tweeted, “I’m not happy. The world should not be happy. The judge LOCKED out Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers & refused us entry into the courtroom. She then arbitrarily adjourned the case to January 19, 2022. This is a travesty of justice. We will surely take urgent & decisive measures.”
Daily Independent had earlier reported that the trial of Kanu was adjourned to the 19th and 20th of January 2022.
Kanu had alongside his lawyers protested the refusal of the DSS to allow some of his lawyers access into the court, particularly the lawyer from the USA, Bruce Fein.
Kanu, who was re-arraigned before trial Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, is facing a seven-count amended treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him.
The Nigerian government had in the amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, which was signed by a team of government lawyers led by the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mr M. B. Abubakar, alleged that Kanu had in furtherance of an act of terrorism, issued a deadly threat that anyone that flouted his sit-at-home order should write his or her will.
The Nigerian government alleged that as a result of Kanu’s directive, banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations were not opened for businesses, with vehicular movements grounded in the South-East region of the country.
