The Federal High Court in Abuja, has brought forward the trial of the self acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
The case was during the last trial adjourned to January 19, 2022, after his defence team staged a walk out during the last trial on November 10.
At the proceedings, lead defence to Mr. Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, informed the court of an application for abrigement of time, so as to enable the the judge hear some pending applications bordering on the competence of the seven-count charge slammed on Mr Kanu.
But, the prosecuting Counsel, Shuaibu Labaran who opposed to the request said he had filed a counter application.
Though the court had on November 10, adjourned the trial till January 19, 2022, it however brought the date forward to January 18, following the application by Kanu’s legal team.
Mr Ejiofor also drew the court’s attention to his client’s poor condition in the DSS detention, stating that his client was being subjected to psychological torture.
In addressing Mr Ejiofor’s complaints, the judge, Justice Binta Nyako, directed the prosecuting lawyer to impress it on the DSS where Mr Kanu is being held, “to give the defendant possible maximum comfort.”
Mrs Nyako also advised the DSS to allow Mr Kanu practice his Jewish faith, following a complaint by his counsel that he was being prevented from doing so by the DSS.
Even though the self acclaimed IPOB leader was not brought to court because the application for abrigement of time was filed outside of the court-allowed time.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had announced on June 29, 2021, that Mr Kanu had been rearrested and brought back to Nigeria to continue facing his trial after jumping bail in 2017.
Victoria Abah/Abuja