Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, on Friday, tendered an apology over his recent attacks on the Federal High Court and Justice Binta Nyako.
Mr Kanu, through his new counsel and former attorney general of the federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, also apologised to the federal government’s lawyer, Mr Awomolo.
The IPOB leader equally apologised to his team of lawyers earlier, led by Aloy Ejimakor, for attacking them before Ms Nyako.
Mr Kanu tendered the apology through his lead counsel, Mr Agabi, before Justice James Omotosho, the new trial judge.
Upon resumed trial, Mr Agabi sought the court’s permission to deliver a message on Mr Kanu’s behalf.
He claimed to have already spoken with the prosecution’s attorney about the development, and Mr Omotosho approved the application.
Mr Omotosho had fixed March 21 for the trial of Mr Kanu after the case file was transferred to him.
Mr Kanu, who was brought back to the country in June 2021 from Kenya, was expected to take his plea as the case begins afresh (de novo).
Justice John Tsoho, the FHC’s chief judge, informed Mr Kanu’s lead attorney, Aloy Ejimakor, in a letter dated March 4 that the case had been reassigned from Ms Nyako to Mr Omotosho.
The re-assignment followed the demand by Mr Kanu and his team of lawyers for the transfer of the seven-count terrorism charge to another judge after alleging bias.
Ms Nyako, on September 24, 2024, withdrew from the case and sent the file to the chief justice of FHC for re-assignment.
The judge said she could not proceed with a trial where a defendant lacked confidence in the court.
However, the CJ sent Mr Kanu’s case file back to Ms Nyako for adjudication, insisting that a formal application must be made by the defence before the recusal could be accepted.
But Mr Kanu and Mr Ejimakor, on February 10, insisted that Ms Nyako no longer had jurisdiction to preside over the case after her recusal (withdrawal) from the matter, prompting the judge to adjourn the case indefinitely (sine die).
Justice Ahmed Mohammed (who has been elevated to Appeal Court) and Mr Tsoho (before becoming the chief justice) had presided over Mr Kanu’s trial before it was assigned to Ms Nyako, following the defendant’s rejection of the two judges.
(NAN)
