By Ajuma Edwina Ameh
The trial of detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been adjourned to January 19 and 20, 2022, by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The adjournment came after Kanu’s team of lawyers staged a walk-out 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 about 9:52 am, protested the refusal by security agents to allow some members of his legal team, especially his lawyer from the United States of America, Bruce Fein, to enter the courtroom.
Persecondnews also gathered that earlier, security operatives had also prevented another of Kanu’s lawyers, Maxwell Opara from entering the courtroom.
According to the proscribed IPOB leader, Mr. Fein, who he said is handling a case for him in the US, was around to witness his trial.
Kanu further declined to continue with the court proceedings in the absence of his lawyers.
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Meanwhile, counsel to FG, Mr Mohamed Abubakar, who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions, had urged the court to proceed with the trial in the absence of Kanu’s lawyers as the matter was fixed for hearing of an application that was filed by the defendant.
He argued that since Kanu’s lead counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who was initially inside the courtroom, walked out with his team, his pending application should be deemed abandoned.
However, In a short ruling, Justice Nyako declined to dismiss the pending application, but rather adjourned the case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.
Kanu is facing a seven-count amended treasonable felony charge preferred against him by the Federal Government, and has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest from a foreign country in June 2021.
He was also alleged to have committed treasonable felony, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
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