The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has received a court order requiring him to appear for a hearing on Monday, February 10, 2025, before Justice Binta Nyako at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
This information was provided in a hearing notice obtained by our correspondent on Friday. The notice, dated January 22, 2025, was addressed to Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor.
Earlier, Kanu had requested that his case be transferred to a court in the South-East if no judge in Abuja, aside from Justice Nyako, was willing to handle it.
On September 24, 2024, during a court session, Kanu had asked Justice Nyako to recuse herself from his trial, citing a lack of confidence in her handling of the case.
Justice Nyako complied and transferred the case to Justice Tsoho.
However, Justice Tsoho later returned the case to Justice Nyako for continuation.
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Kanu has since maintained that it would violate her own judicial order for Justice Nyako to preside over the case again and instructed his legal team to ensure she refrains from handling it.
In response to the hearing notice, Ejimakor expressed surprise, stating that they would attend the hearing with “bated breath.”
The hearing notice partially read, “Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 – Hearing notice between the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Plaintiff) and Nnamdi Kanu (Defendant). This case will be transferred from the general cause list to the hearing paper for Monday, the 10th day of February 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the forenoon and will come on to be heard on that day if the business of the court permits, or otherwise on some adjournment day of which you will receive no further notice.”
The notice also outlined the procedures for applying to postpone the hearing and emphasized that parties should present all evidence during the hearing, as failure to do so might result in being barred from presenting it later or incurring substantial costs.
Meanwhile, Kanu’s counsel, Ejimakor, reiterated their request for the case to be transferred to a High Court in the South-East in a letter dated January 30, 2025.
In the letter, Ejimakor referenced the recusal of Justice Nyako and argued that she no longer had jurisdiction over the case, which he claimed was binding. He further contended that because no other judge in the Abuja division was willing to take the case, it should be transferred to a division in the South-East, where the alleged offences had greater relevance.
Ejimakor requested that the court grant the transfer to prevent a miscarriage of justice for Kanu.
