Government re-arraigns IPOB’s Nnamdi Kanu, three others

Court fixes Nov. 17 for ruling on bail
The Federal Government yesterday re-arraigned the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and three others in Abuja. They appeared before a third judge, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court on an 11-count charge bordering on treasonable felony, illegal possession of firearms as well as terrorism.

Nyako was the third judge to hear Kanu’s case as he had earlier accused two others: Justices Adeniyi Ademola and John Tsoho, of bias.

In the amended charges dated November 7 and filed by a Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Umar, the Federal Government added five fresh ones to the previous six.

Also included among those charged for the first time was one David Nwawusi. The two others – Onwudiwe Chidiebere and Benjamin Madubugwu – had been on trial alongside Kanu in the earlier six-count charge.

Kanu’s counsel, Chuks Muoma, has asked the court for bail.

Although Kanu had during the previous arraignment applied for bail on the fact that he was appearing before a new judge, a fresh application was filed.

Ruling on the bail application would be given on the next adjourned date, November 17.

It would be recalled that Kanu, alongside Onwudiwe Chidiebere and Benjamin Madubugwu, were first arraigned before Justice Shuaibu Usman of a Magistrate’s Court in Wuse Zone 2, who dismissed the case following a motion by the prosecutor, the Department of State Services (DSS), that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

At the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ademola, who was assigned the case had to step aside following accusation by the defendants that they may not get fair-hearing.

Tsoho, who was to take over hearing, also had to hands off and the case file was returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re-assignment after he was also petitioned for bias.