By Newsie Events Media:
It’s already very busy on the roads leading to the Federal High Court in Abuja. It’s a day for the commencement of the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on charges of treasonable felony.
Today, Monday, the trial will resume, four years after it was stalled due to Kanu disappearance from the country.
Newsie Events recalled that Kanu, who was granted bail in April 2017, fled the country after the invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, by the military in September.
Subsequently, the judge, Binta Nyako, revoked his bail for ditching his trial.
Mrs Nyako also ordered his trial to be separated from the rest of the co-defensants’.
While the trial of the rest of the defendants has made some progress, Mr Kanu’s has been stalled since 2017.
On June 29, 2021, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami announced that Mr Kanu had been rearrested and brought back to Nigeria to continue facing his trial.
He said the IPOB leader was “intercepted” days earlier but did not disclose which country and how the operation was carried out.
Although there has been no official disclosure about where and how Mr Kanu was arrested, relatives and lawyers of the IPOB leader, have described how he was taken into custody in Kenya under controversial circumstances.
On the day the AGF announced his arrest, Mr Kanu was produced in court.
The judge, during the proceedings, ordered his remand in the custody of the State Securtiy Service (SSS).
She then adjourned he trial till today, July 26.
According to PREMIUM TIMES which is one of the News media that was cleared by DSS to cover the trial proceedings, which they have promised to be providing live updates, said that the court proceedings which was officially scheduled to commence 9 a.m., may take longer to begin.
It also reported that an amry of security operatives have taken over the court premises already.
Heavily armed and hooded SSS operatives and the Nigeria Police Force have cordoned off adjoining streets to the court.
The fierce-looking operatives turned commuters and passersby away from the streets adjoining the court.
Also, there’s a crowd of stranded journalists was seen milling around barricaded lines around the court.
It noted that at about 9.43a.m.: Mr Kanu has not been seen in the courtroom and that the judge, Mrs Nyako, too, has yet to arrive.
Members of the government’s prosecution team, defence lawyers, and some of his supporters and Igbo leaders are already seated in court.. [Culled Premium Times ]
Pictures credit: Premium Times
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