Leader of the Biafra nation agitators, Nnamdi Kanu, at his fresh arraignment on Friday, pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government of Nigeria.
The arraignment was conducted at the Federal High Court in
Abuja before Justice James Kolawole Omotosho amid watertight security provided
by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.
Upon the reading of the seven-count charges one by one,
Kanu, who was dressed in his usual white sportswear, denied the accusations of
threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence and operating an illegal radio
station to broadcast Biafra messages.
After the plea, the federal government counsel, Adegboyega
Awomolo, SAN, announced to the court his readiness to conduct the prosecution
in line with the spirit and letters of the Supreme Court order for a fresh
trial.
He asked for an adjournment to enable him to assemble his
witnesses and also applied for an accelerated hearing, which was granted by the
court.
Based on the request and having no objection from the
defense counsel led by Kanu Agabi, SAN, Justice James Kolawole Omotosho fixed
April 29 and May 2 and 6, 2025, for the full-blown trial.
Kanu, who was brought back to the country in June 2021 from
Kenya and has since been in the custody of the DSS on the order of the court,
also conceded to a speedy trial of the charges against him.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John
Tsoho, had, in a letter dated March 4, 2025, and addressed to Kanu’s lead
counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, communicated the re-assignment of the case from Justice
Binta Nyako to Justice Omotosho.
The re-assignment followed the demand by Kanu and his team
of lawyers for the transfer of the seven-count terrorism charge to another judge
after alleging bias.
Justice Nyako, on September 24, 2024, withdrew herself from
the case and sent the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court
for re-assignment.
The judge said she could not proceed with a trial where a
defendant lacked confidence in the court.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, who has been elevated to the Court
of Appeal, and Justice Tsoho (before becoming the CJ), had presided over Kanu’s
trial before it was assigned to Justice Nyako following the defendant’s
rejection of the two judges.
However, unlike in previous proceedings, Kanu was cool and
calm throughout the re-arraignment.
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