Nnamdi Kanu: Why Pro-Biafra Group Leader May Remain In Custody Till September

Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) may remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) until September as judges of the Federal High Court begin their annual vacation on July 26, the date slated for the hearing of his case.

Kanu's IPOB is agitating for the sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria. Facing treason charges, he had fled, and stayed away from Nigeria for about four years before being captured in Kenya and repatriated.

AllNews understands that the judges’ vacation will last till September 17, 2021.

A vacation notice was issued by the Chief Information Officer of the Federal High Court, Catherine Christopher, in Abuja, on Monday.

It reads in part, “Pursuant to the provisions of Order 46, Rule 4 (d) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Honorable Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, announces to Hon. Judges, stakeholders and the general public, that the Federal High Court will proceed on its Annual Vacation for the Year 2021 from Monday the 26th day of July, 2021 to Friday the 17th September, 2021.

“The Court resumes sitting on Monday the 20th of September, 2021.”

As per the statement, the 2021 annual vacation was necessary for the judges to rest and prepare for the new legal year.

It also stated that only the core divisions of Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt will remain functional throughout the vacation.

The vacation judges who are to sit during the period are Justice   A. R. Mohammed and Justice O.E. Egwuatu for Abuja Division; Justice I. N. Oweibo and Justice Tijjani Ringim for Lagos Division; and Justice S. D. Pam and Justice A. T. Mohammed for Port Harcourt Division.

The statement also stressed that during the vacation “only cases of extreme urgency, such as the arrest of Ship(s) and Fundamental Rights Enforcement are to be entertained.”

Recall that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had adjourned the trial of Kanu, to July 26 and 27.

Justice Binta Nyako had given the order while granting the application by the prosecution to remand Kanu in custody upon his re-arrest.