By Valentine Amanze
The officials of Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday December 2, 2021, failed to bring the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to court, while his trial was heard in his absence.
One of his lawyers, Alloy Ejimakor, who confirmed his absence to journalists, said that it was not mandatory for Kanu to be in court for the hearing.
But during the proceedings today at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the judge ordered the DSS to allow the IPOB leader have maximum comfort while in their custody.
The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, who gave the order, also instructed the DSS to allow Kanu to have a change of clothes, give him medical attention and allow him to practice his faith.
Justice Nyako said that the matter for the day was for abridgment of time.
The judge also brought further hearing of the case forward by a day (January 18, 2022), from the initial date of (January 19) for a hearing of pending applications which include the jurisdiction of the court and competence of the charge.
Channelstv had reported that the shift in the trial date followed the abridgment of time granted by the Judge after a plea to that effect.
Kanu’s Counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had approached the court with an application seeking an order of the court to accommodate the trial in November and December this year as against the earlier January 19.
Counsel to the Federal Government, Shuaib Labaran, however, told the court that a counter affidavit opposing the request by the Federal Government had been filed and served on Kanu.
Justice Nyako however informed Kanu’s lawyer that the application for time abridgment could not be considered because there was no judicial time for such an issue.
Following the insistence, Justice Nyako agreed to shift other cases slated for January 18 to accommodate the trial which will last till January 19 and 20, according to Channelstv.
Nnamdi Kanu is facing charges bordering on alleged terrorism and treasonable felony.
