The Federal High Court in Abuja has reassigned the terrorism case involving Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to a different judge following a directive from Chief Judge John Tsoho.
The decision comes after months of mounting pressure and a formal request from Kanu’s legal team. Kanu had previously asked Justice Binta Nyako to recuse herself during a hearing on September 24, 2024, citing concerns over judicial bias.
Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s special counsel, confirmed the reassignment in a statement on Saturday.
“Yesterday, before the legal team conducted our routine visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we received two separate official letters regarding his case. The letters are momentous and somewhat pyrrhic,” the statement read.
Ejimakor explained that one letter came from the Chief Justice of Nigeria in response to the team’s request for intervention, while the other, from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, officially confirmed the reassignment of the case.
Following the development, Kanu instructed his legal team to extend his gratitude to the Chief Justice for her swift action. He also expressed appreciation to supporters who advocated for his right to a fair trial.
The statement continued: “To be sure, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has always been ready to take his trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence. But the perverse events of the past six months (from September 2024, when the recusal happened) posed portent dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to fair and speedy hearing.”
Kanu’s legal team reiterated their commitment to preparing a robust defense now that the case is set to proceed under new judicial oversight