Finally, Nyako Hands-off Kanu’s Case As IPOB Leader Thanks CJN

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kalu, on Saturday March 8, 2025 ,expressed appreciation ,to the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun for promptly responding to his appeal for her intervention in the issue of reassigning his trial to. another Judge.

The Source reports that the trial of the IPOB leader has, in the last two hearings, suffered serious disruptions, owing to Kanu’s rejection of his continued trial by Justice Binta Nyako  of the Federal High court Abuja .

Mazi Kanu, during a previous hearing had requested Justice Nyako to recuse herself from the case on the grounds that he no long had trust in her abilities to dispense justice in his case before her.

His request,was obliged by the trial judge, who subsequently ,transferred the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court Abuja  the Honourable  Justice John Tsoho .

Curiously, the Chief Judge returned the case file to Justice Nyako, a development that forced the IPOB leader to tongue-lash the system and flatly remained adamant on not being ready to submit himself to Justice Nyako for continued trial.

Kanu, who is standing trial on alleged terrorism-related charges, also vowed to remain perpetually in detention instead of allowing Justice Nyako to continue his trial.

However, on Saturday, March 8, his legal team led by Aloy Ejimako in a statement, disclosed that the trial of the IPOB leader has finally been reassigned to another Judge .

He however did not reveal the identity of the new judge.

Following is the full text of the statement from Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case finally reassigned to another Judge

Yesterday, before the legal team conducted our routine visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we received two separate official letters regarding his case. The letters are momentous.

One letter was from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, responding to a recent letter we had written to her, seeking her prompt administrative intervention (as the administrative head of Nigerian Judiciary) on the matter of a proper and lawful reassignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, following the recusal of the Judge that was conducting it.

The other letter was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, informing us that the case has been reassigned to another Judge of the Federal High Court.

Consequent upon these latest developments, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu instructed the legal team to publicly convey his sincere gratitudes to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for her sound administrative discretions and the despatch with which she responded to our request. He also expressed his profound appreciations to members of the general public who publicly expressed their support to our righteous demands that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case be reassigned to another Judge, as the law demands.

To be sure, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has always been ready to take his trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence. But the perverse events of the past six months (from September 2024, when the recusal happened) posed portent dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to fair and speedy hearing. It was in view of these untoward developments that we were propelled to resort to taking extraordinary measures to ensure that his case is properly reassigned and conducted in accordance with the law.

So, now that the first steps have been taken by the authorities to do the lawful thing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his legal team shall take stock and hanker down to the zealous preparation of his defense.

Signed:

Aloy Ejimakor, Esq.

f/Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team.