Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The case, which has been ongoing since 2015, took a dramatic turn during Tuesday’s proceedings when Kanu requested that the judge step down.
Kanu, facing seven charges of terrorism and treason claimed he had lost confidence in Nyako, accusing her of failing to obey Supreme Court orders.
In the open court, Kanu demanded that Justice Nyako recuse herself, asserting that her continued handling of the case would be unjust.
“My lord, I have no confidence in this court any more and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court,” Kanu stated.
“I can understand it if the DSS refuses to obey a court order, but for this court to refuse to obey an order of the Supreme Court is regrettable. I am asking you to recuse yourself from this case.”
To the surprise of many, Justice Nyako agreed, expressing her willingness to withdraw from the trial.
“I hereby recuse myself from this case and remit the file to the Chief Judge for further necessary action,” Nyako stated.
The judge said she could not proceed with a trial where a defendant lacked confidence in the court.”
She stated she would forward the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment, effectively stepping aside from the case.
This development adds a new twist to the long-running legal battle, further delaying a resolution in the Federal Government’s case against the IPOB leader, while Kanu continues to deny all allegations against him.
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