A visibly enraged leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, lashed out in court on Monday, accusing both the prosecution and the presiding judge of lacking knowledge of the law.
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Kanu, who is facing trial for treason and terrorism charges, expressed his frustration after being brought before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja—a judge in whom he had earlier declared a lack of confidence.
Despite Kanu’s objections, Justice Nyako explained that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, had denied Kanu’s oral request for her recusal. She insisted that any such application must be formally submitted through a motion on notice. However, Kanu refused to heed the explanation, dismissing the judge’s remarks as meaningless to him.
With the courtroom atmosphere growing increasingly tense, Justice Nyako opted to adjourn the case indefinitely.
Following the court session, Kanu launched into a tirade, questioning why his case was being handled differently.
“Why is it that when it comes to my case, they turn the law upside down?” he yelled.
Turning to the lead prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Kanu pointed directly at him and said, “An old man like this doesn’t know the law. You don’t know the law.”
Speaking to journalists inside the courtroom, Kanu reiterated his frustration:
“This is the law of Nigeria, yet the prosecution and this court do not know it. That is the fact. Poor knowledge of the law is killing Nigeria!”
He further argued that the government was violating its own legal provisions:
“This is a federal gazetted law of Nigeria that clearly states the Chief Judge cannot instruct Binta Nyako on what to do. It is here, it’s your law—just obey it. That is why I do what I do. I agitate for Biafra; I have a right to agitate. They have now turned my case from treasonable felony to terrorism.”
Before leaving the courtroom, Kanu, still visibly agitated, smacked one of his own lawyers on the back, reprimanding him for speaking while he was addressing the press.
Mr Kanu’s trial was earlier stalled after Mrs Nyako recused herself from the case following the IPOB leader’s oral application on 24 September 2024.
The IPOB leader had broken into a conversation between the bar and the bench during the court session to tell the judge to withdraw from the case. He said he no longer had confidence in her handling of his trial.
However, John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, returned the file to Mrs Nyako on the grounds that Nnamdi Kanu’s application must be brought formally before the court through a motion on notice.
Consequently, in a letter dated 5 December 2024, addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar; the prosecution led by Awomolo asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial.
Opposing the request for a trial date, Mr Ejimakor, in a letter dated 9 December 2024, said the ruling of the judge recusing herself remained valid.
Mr Ejimakor further asked that the case be transferred to a division of the Federal High Court in the Igbo-dominated South-east region of the country if no judge in Abuja is willing to preside over it.
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