Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja, has adjourned indefinitely the trial of the leader of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, over terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government.
The court adjourned the trial sine die at the instance of Kanu, pending the resolution of the federal government’s appeal against the October 13, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal that discharged the accused from the terrorism charges.
The federal government’s appeal seeking reversal of the Court of Appeal judgment is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
During the proceedings, the self acclaimed leader of the proscribed IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, refused to appear before the court in Abuja, in protest against the federal government’s refusal to obey a Court of Appeal judgment that ordered his release from detention.
The refusal to honour the High Court was conveyed to Justice Binta Nyako by the federal government counsel, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.
He informed the court that all entreaties made to persuade him to have a change of heart were rebuffed.
Kanu was said to have stood his ground not to appear in court until the October 13 judgment of the Court of Appeal is respected and obeyed by releasing him from the custody of the Department of the State Service (DSS) in Abuja.
