Kanu to spend Christmas, New Year in prison as court adjourns

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, will spend the Christmas and New Year holidays in prison.

This is because Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned until January 19, 2021, his trial for alleged treason

There was confusion as Kanu’s team of lawyers staged a walkout over the refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow some of them access into the courtroom.

Kanu, who was brought into the courtroom around 9.52am, had complained to the judge that security agents did not allow some members of his legal team access into the courtroom, especially his lawyer from the United States of America, Bruce Fein.

He told Justice Nyako that Fein, who was handling a case for him in the U.S., was around to witness his trial.

“I have an ongoing case in the US. I have not been allowed to see him. He is here to see me and to observe the proceedings.

“He has been to the DSS to see me, but they denied him access to me,” Kanu stated from the dock.

READ: DSS bars journalists, lawyers, as Kanu appears in court, pleads not guilty

Asked by the judge, if he was ready to conduct the proceedings himself, in the absence of his lawyers, Kanu said, no.

Meanwhile, counsel to the Federal Government and Director of Public Prosecution, M. D. Abubakar, urged the court to proceed with the trial in the absence of Kanu’s lawyers.

He told the court that the matter was fixed for the hearing of an application that was filed by the Defendant.

Abubakar argued that since Kanu’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who was initially inside the courtroom, walked out with his team shortly before the arrival of the judge, his pending application should be deemed abandoned.

Justice Nyako in her ruling expressed displeasure over the conduct of Kanu’s lawyers but declined to dismiss the pending application and rather adjourned the case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.