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Just in: Nnamdi Kanu drops lawyer as trial resumes before new judge
.apologises over attacks on judge, others
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Friday, tendered an apology over his recent attacks on the Federal High Court and Justice Binta Nyako.
Kanu, through his new counsel and former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, also apologised to the Federal Government’s lawyer, Chief Awomolo, SAN.
The IPOB leader equally apologised to his team of lawyers earlier led by Aloy Ejimakor for also attacking them while before Justice Nyako.
Kanu tendered the apology through his lead counsel, Chief Agabi, before Justice James Omotosho, the new trial judge.
Upon resumed trial, Agabi sought the court’s permissio to deliver a message on Kanu’s behalf.
He said he had already discussed the development with the lawyer to the prosecution and Justice Omotosho granted the application.
Recall Justice Omotosho had fixed March 21 for the trial of Kanu.
The judge fixed the date after the case file was transferred to him.
Kanu, who was brought back to the country in June 2021 from Kenya, was expected to take his plea as the case begins afresh (de novo).
The Chief Judge (CJ) of FHC, Justice John Tsoho, had, in a letter dated March 4 and addressed to Kanu’s lead counsel, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, communicated the re-assignment of the case from Justice Binta Nyako to Justice Omotosho.
The re-assignment followed the demand by Kanu and his team of lawyers for the transfer of the seven-count terrorism charge to another judge, after alleging bias.
Justice Nyako, on Sept. 24, 2024, withdrew from the case and sent the case file to the CJ of FHC for re-assignment.
The judge said she could not proceed with a trial where a defendant lacked confidence in the court.
However, the CJ sent Kanu’s case file back to Justice Nyako for adjudication, insisting that a formal application must be made by the defence before the recusal could be accepted.
But Kanu and Ejimakor, on Feb. 10, insisted that Justice Nyako no longer had jurisdiction to preside over the case after her recusal (withdrawal) from the matter, prompting the judge to adjourned the case indefinitely (sine die).
Justice Ahmed Mohammed (who has been elevated to Appeal Court) and Justice Tsoho (before becoming the CJ) had presided over Kanu’s trial before it was assigned to Justice Nyako, following the defendant’s rejection of the two judges.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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