In his appearance before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, May 20, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, accused the federal government of being a terrorist.
He made this outburst while addressing the federal government’s counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN),
“You are a terrorist. You have no authority to try me. The law states in Section 2(3)F of the Terrorism Prevention Act that anyone who tries someone against the provisions of the law or any treaty to which Nigeria is a signatory is a terrorist. So, you are the terrorist. I have been in detention for three years now. For what?” Kanu Awomolo.
However, Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, requested an adjournment. He made this request after the ruling of Justice Binta Nyako dismissed their application to transfer Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody to either the correction centre or place him on house arrest.
She noted that she has ruled on the same application multiple times and will not change her decision that DSS custody remains the safest place for the accused.
“Any attempt to file this application again will be considered an abuse of the court process. The only option available to the defence is to take the matter on appeal,” Nyako said.
She, however, asked the DSS to provide Nnamdi Kanu with a clean room, void of cameras or listening devices and requested an adjournment so they could use this latest ruling to prepare their client for trial.
Ejimakor argued that Kanu’s detention conditions were oppressive, but Justice Nyako advised him to appeal.
Regarding the issue of whether Kanu jumped bail, Nyako affirmed that she had already ruled that Kanu did indeed jump bail and had ordered that Kanu’s sureties forfeit the bail bond they had agreed to.
“The only reason they have not forfeited the bail bond is because they appealed the decision. Bringing this application before me again is unnecessary. If it happens again, I will consider it an abuse of court processes,” she said.
The hearing was then adjourned to June 19, 2024.
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