John Tsoho, chief judge of federal high court has reassigned the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to a new judge.
Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s counsel disclosed the development in a statement on Saturday.
Recall that Kanu had repeatedly called for Binta Nyako, judge of the federal high court in Abuja, to recuse herself from his case, saying he no longer has confidence in her handling of his trial.
On September 24, Nyako recused herself from Kanu’s case after an oral application by the defendant.
However, Tsoho returned Kanu’s file to Nyako on the ground that Kanu must submit the application formally before the court through a motion on notice.
On February 10, Nyako adjourned Kanu’s case indefinitely following the defendant’s insistence that the judge cannot preside over his case since she had recused herself.
Giving update on the case, Ejimakor noted that Kanu’s counsel “received two separate official letters” from Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria; and Tsoho regarding the reassignment of the case.
He said, “The letters are momentous and somewhat pyrrhic.”
“One letter was from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, responding to a recent letter we had written to her, seeking her prompt administrative intervention (as the
administrative head of Nigerian judiciary) on the matter of a proper and lawful reassignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, following the recusal of the Judge that was conducting it.”
“The other letter was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, informing us that the case has been reassigned to another Judge of the Federal High Court.”
Ejimakor added that Kanu instructed his legal team to “publicly convey his sincere gratitudes” to the chief justice of Nigeria for her “sound administrative discretions” in ensuring the case was reassigned.
He said, “He also expressed his profound appreciation to members of the general public who publicly expressed their support for our righteous demands that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case be reassigned to another judge, as the law demands.”
“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 a fair and speedy hearing.”
“It was in view of these untoward developments that we were propelled to resort to taking extraordinary measures to ensure that his case is properly reassigned and conducted in accordance with the law.”
“So, now that the first steps have been taken by the authorities to do the lawful thing, Mazi Namdi Kanu and his legal team shall take stock and hanker down to the zealous preparation of his defense.”
