Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) till January 19.
Kanu, who was brought into the courtroom around 9.52am, complained that security agents refused to allow some members of his legal team, including his lawyer from the United States of America, Bruce Fein, to enter the courtroom.
Kanu’s team of lawyers had staged a walk-out over the refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow some of them to gain access into the courtroom.
Speaking on the issue, Nnamdi Kanu told Justice Nyako that Fein, who was handling a case for him in the US, was around to witness his trial.
Kanu said from the dock: “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.“
Asked by the Judge, if he was ready to conduct the proceedings himself, in the absence of his lawyers, Kanu said no.
Counsel to the FG, Mr. M. D. Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecution, urged the court to proceed with the trial in the absence of Kanu’s lawyers.
He argued that since Kanu’s lead counsel, Mr. 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 expressed displeasure over the conduct of Kanu’s lawyers but she declined to dismiss the pending application, instead, she adjourned the case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.
