A request made by the Nigerian Government for the Federal High Court, Abuja, to dismiss an application by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu has been rejected.
The request was delivered by the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Mohammed Abubakar, to Justice Binta Nyako, after Kanu’s legal team walkout.
The allegedly staged walkout was made after the Department of States Services operatives denied Kanu’s American lawyer, Bruce Fein, from entering the courtroom on Wednesday.
“Having decided to stage a walkout on the court, I urge my lord to dismiss the defendant’s pending applications,” said Abubakar.
However, the judge declined the request. “Staging a walkout on the court is a very serious offense,” she said. “I will not dismiss the applications; let them be in the case file. But discuss with your lawyers so that their attitude can change.”
Justice Nyako then asserted that individuals wishing to attend the IPOB leader’s trial must write her court for consideration, referring to a diplomat from the British High Commission, who was in the courtroom to observe proceedings.
The diplomat said she had written the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, seeking his consent to attend Wednesday’s sitting.
The judge allowed the diplomat to be in the courtroom during the proceedings due to her respect for the Chief judge. However, she advised the diplomat to apply to her to observe any future proceedings in her court.
The case was then adjourned until January 19-20, 2022.
