The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is set to resume on Friday, March 21, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice James Omotosho will preside over the case following its reassignment.
The decision to proceed with the trial was confirmed on Wednesday after the case file was transferred to Justice Omotosho. Kanu is facing a seven-count charge of terrorism filed by the Federal Government.
The case was reassigned after Justice Binta Nyako, the previous judge handling the matter, stepped down on September 24, 2024, following allegations of bias raised by Kanu and his legal team. They had requested the case be transferred to another judge.
Initially, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court returned the case to Justice Nyako, stating that Kanu and his legal team must formally apply for her recusal. However, Kanu opposed appearing before Justice Nyako, leading to an indefinite adjournment of the case.
On February 20, 2025, Kanu’s legal team wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, seeking her intervention. They requested that the case be reassigned to another judge in the Federal High Court in Abuja or transferred to the Southeast.
In a statement on
Saturday, March 8, 2025, Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, revealed that they had received two letters: one from the Chief Justice of Nigeria and another from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho. The letters confirmed that the case had been reassigned to a new judge.
Justice Omotosho will now oversee the case, with proceedings scheduled to resume on March 21, 2025
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