THE Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the ongoing trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu till October 21.
The court presided over by Binta Nyako adjourned the case after the prosecuting team could not produce the IPOB leader in the court,
The judge, who ruled that Kanu’s trial would not continue in his absence, ordered the State Security Service to produce him in court in the next adjournment date.
She asked the prosecution to be diligent with dates whenever she gave one, stressing that it was important for Kanu to be present at his trial.
In his response, the prosecution, Mohammed Abubakar, informed the judge that the defendant was not in court due to logistics reasons.
However, Kanu Special Lead Counsel Ifeanyi Ejiofor told the court the SSS denied Kanu the right to meet with his relatives.
He expressed worries about Kanu’s whereabouts as he wondered why he could not be produced in court for trial.
“I was informed authoritatively, I am speaking from the bar, that Nnamdi Kanu has been taken out of jurisdiction of this court,” he said.
“We have been denied access to Kanu in the last 10 days.
“We are worried about his safety and don’t know why the Federal Government refused to bring him in court.”
Ejiofor’s request that his client be transferred to Kuje Correctional Centre from the SSS custody was refused by the court. But the court granted that Kanu should be allowed to see his personal doctors.
The Nigerian government, through the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, claimed Kanu was extradited two days before he was brought before an Abuja Federal High Court on Tuesday, June 29.
Although the Nigerian authorities have refused to disclose how and where the IPOB leader was arrested, Kanu’s personal testimonies to his lawyers and his allies have fingered Kenyan security operatives in his arrest, an allegation Kenya has since refuted.
Kanu faces an 11-count charge of treason, treasonable felony, terrorism, and illegal possession of firearms.
Kanu jumped bail and fled Nigeria after soldiers raided his residence in Umuahia, Abia State, in 2017.
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