The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has instructed Justice Binta Nyako to resume hearing the treason trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Justice Nyako had previously recused herself on September 24, following Kanu’s claims of losing confidence in her ability to provide a fair trial.
Justice Tsoho has set a condition for the continuation, requiring Kanu to submit a formal application supported by an affidavit detailing his reasons for requesting a new judge. The prosecution is expected to respond, after which Justice Nyako will rule on whether or not to withdraw from the case.
This move by Justice Tsoho aims to avoid a repetition of a past scenario, such as in the money laundering trial of former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, where a judge’s withdrawal was deemed improper by the Court of Appeal due to lack of formal proceedings.
Kanu’s legal journey has been marked by several judicial withdrawals. He first appeared before the Federal High Court in December 2015 and has since had three judges withdraw from his case, including Justice Ahmed Mohammed and Justice Tsoho, before it was assigned to Justice Nyako in 2016.
Justice Nyako’s withdrawal in September 2024 marked the third time a judge had stepped down at Kanu’s request.
