IPOB: Court resumes hearing of Nnamdi Kanu’s trial Monday amidst tight security

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will on Monday continue in the hearing of the criminal charge against the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafran (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in the criminal charges of terrorism and treasonable felony slammed against him by the Federal Government.

The Department of Security Services (DSS), spearheading Kanu’s trial on behalf of the Federal Government, it was gathered, will provide adequate security at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the venue of the trial, to ward off the possible breakdown of order or unruly behaviour from any quarter during the trial.

The coverage of Kanu’s trial, who was re-arrested in faraway Kenya, during a coordinated  interception is restricted to few media houses as part of the security measures put in place by the management of the Federal High Court in Abuja and DSS to control crowds at the court premises

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) had, on June 29, 2021, announced the re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu by joint security agencies on June 27, in a joint press briefing with DSS and the police.

The IPOB leader, who was brought before the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, same day, told the court in the presence of heavily armed security operatives that his house was invaded by security men with his life seriously threatened and that, explained why he escaped out of the country

The self acclaimed Biafran leader further stated that he would have been killed along with others on the day of the invasion if not for the wisdom he applied to jump out of the country.

Kanu’s reaction was provoked by the information by the Federal Government through its counsel, Shuaib Labaran that Kanu ran out of the country, thereby, jumping the bail granted him by the court to escape trial.

Labaran, thereafter applied to the court for an order to remand Kanu in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS).

The Federal Government counsel told the court that the request became imperative because lawyers to Kanu were yet to be abreast of his re-arrest.

Justice Nyako thereafter granted the request and ordered that Kanu be remanded in the custody of the DSS till July 26, 2021 for continuation of his trial.

Although the continuation of the trial of the IPOB leader was earlier slated for October 20, 2021, it was however brought down to July 26, 2021 for his lawyers to appear for his defence.

It will be recalled that after over two years of manhunt, the Federal Government rearrested the Biafran leader in Kenya and was immediately brought to Nigeria for the continuation of his trial.

Nnamdi Kanu, who was earlier put on trial on charges bothering on terrorism, treasonable felony and sponsorship of unlawful organization had jumped bail granted him by the federal high court and escaped from Nigeria shortly after the bail was perfected for him by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who volunteered to stand surety for him.

Justice  Nyako who granted him bail on the ground of his Ill health, had revoked the bail on March 28, 2019, and issued a bench warrant for his arrest in any part of Nigeria.