Nnamdi Kanu to spend Christmas inside DSS custody as trial suffers setback

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu till January 19.

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is facing charges bordering on treason and other related charges leveled against him by the federal government.

Today’s adjournment, however, came amidst protests by Kanu’s team of lawyers, who staged a walk-out over refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow some of them gain access into the courtroom,

Shortly after he was brought into the courtroom around 9:52am, Kanu protested the refusal of security agents to allow some members of his legal team, to enter the courtroom.

One of his lawyers from the United States of America, Bruce Fein was stopped at the entrance by the operatives.

The IPOB leader who was in the dock told the court that Mr. Fein was handling a case for him in the US, and he came around to witness his trial.

He said: “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 replied in the negative.

Meanwhile, counsel to the federal government, 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.

Abubakar told the court that, ordinarily, 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 shortly before the arrival of the judge, his pending application should be deemed abandoned.

In a short ruling, Justice Nyako expressed his displeasure over the conduct of Kanu’s lawyers; she declined to dismiss the pending application and adjourned the case till January 19 for trial.