The Federal High Court, Abuja has adjourned the case involving the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu to November 10th.
Kanu had pleaded not guilty to the seven-count amended charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.
Kanu, who was re-arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja said he was innocent of all the allegations leveled against him by the Federal Government after the charge was read to him in the open court.
He had arrived the court amidst tight security on a black Sports Utility Vehicles at about 8am.
But journalists, lawyers and staff of the FHC were barred from entering the Court premises.
Some of the Igbo elders barred from the court include former Anambra State Governor, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Eze Nd’Igbo, Abuja, Eze Gibson Nwosu and Chief Goddy Uwazurike. They were seen were seen sitting down outside at the open grounds.
A man who was with Ezeife was heard complaining to the press about the treatment of making the elders stand in the sun and said that was not befitting.
In a viral video from the court premises, a lawyer was seen complaining bitterly for being barred from the trial and questioned the independence of the judiciary. He also accused one of the security operatives, DSS men whose faces were partly covered as threatening to kill him
However, photos of Kanu with his lawyers have been in circulation on the social media
All adjourning raods from Transcorp Hilton, Ministry of Justice and Abia House were manned by enhanced security deployment of over 3,000 personnel of the Nigeria Police, Army, Department of State Services operatives estimated to be over 3,000.
At the last proceedings, journalists and lawyers were manhandled, while Kanu who is being held by the DSS was not brought to court, a development that was blamed on “logistical issues” by the prosecuting lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar.
Last week, the Federal Government slammed an amended seven-count charge against Kanu, while the FHC issued a hearing notice for Thursday, October 21.
The Noice titled, ‘Federal Republic of Nigeria Versus Nnamdi Kanu,’ with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15, was served on Ejiofor and the prosecuting lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran.
Count Two
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afarachukw lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on or about the 28th of April 2015 in London, United Kingdom did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu state and other parts of the of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Ho
Count Three
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afarachukw lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulusiizor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, a Radio transmitter known as TRAM 50l concealed in a container of used household Wich you declared as used household items and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 47 (2) of the Criminal Code of Act, Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Kanu is being tried before Justice Binta Nyako over charges of treasonable felony and terrorism.
The separatist, who was granted bail in April 2017, fled the country after the invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, by the military in September, a situation one of Kanu’s lawyers, Alloy Ejimakor described as the “rule of self-preservation.”
On June 29, 2021, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, announced that Mr Kanu had been rearrested and extradited to Nigeria to continue facing his trial.
He said the IPOB leader was “intercepted” days earlier but did not disclose which country and how the operation was carried out.
Although there has been no official disclosure about where and how Kanu was arrested, relatives and lawyers of the IPOB leader, have described how he was taken into custody in Kenya under controversial circumstances.