The legal battle surrounding Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) continues as the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered him to appear for a hearing on Monday, February 10, 2025.
The order, issued by Justice Binta Nyako, comes despite Kanu’s repeated calls for his trial to be moved to the South-East, where he argues the alleged offences took place.
The hearing notice read partly, “Suit No:FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 – Hearing notice between the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Plaintiff) and Nnamdi Kanu (Defendant). This case will be transferred from the general cause list to the hearing paper for Monday, the 10th day of February 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the forenoon and will come on to be heard on that day if the business of the court permits, or otherwise on some adjournment day of which you will receive no further notice.
“If either party desires to postpone the hearing, they must apply to the court as soon as possible for that purpose. If the application is based on any matter of fact, the applicant must be prepared to provide proof of those facts.
“The parties are warned that at the hearing, they are required to bring forward all the evidence by witnesses or documents they desire to rely on in support of their case or in contradiction of their opponent’s case.
“The proof will be required at the hearing and not on a subsequent day. Parties failing to bring their evidence forward at the proper time may find themselves precluded from adducing it, or, at best, allowed to do so on payment of substantial costs to the other side and under such terms as the court deems fit”.
However, Kanu’s legal team, led by Aloy Ejimakor, has expressed strong reservations about Justice Nyako presiding over the case, given that she previously recused herself at Kanu’s request.
Kanu’s courtroom battles have been as intense as his political activism. Last September, he openly asked Justice Nyako to step down from his case, citing a loss of confidence in her handling of proceedings. The judge granted his request and transferred the case to Chief Judge John Tsoho, who then, in an unexpected twist, returned the file to Nyako for continuation of trial.
Kanu’s legal team insists that this development undermines judicial integrity. “A recusal is binding,” Ejimakor stated, arguing that Justice Nyako cannot preside over a case she willingly stepped away from.
Beyond the dispute over Nyako’s role, Kanu’s team is pressing for the case to be relocated entirely. In a formal request dated January 30, 2025, Ejimakor petitioned for the matter to be transferred to any division of the Federal High Court in the South-East.
“Given that no other judge in the Abuja division is willing to take the case, the only viable option is to transfer the case to any division of the Federal High Court in the South-East geopolitical zone.
“The alleged offences have an impact in the South-East, not in Abuja,” the letter reads. “This gives the South-East divisions superior jurisdiction compared to Abuja.”