Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist court case – Key things wey happun on April 8

Nnamdi Kanu court trial today, 8 April, don dey adjourn to 17th, 18th and 26th May 2022.

Justice Binta Nyako courtroom for Federal High Court Abuja however witness key things on Friday.

Here na highlights of how Justice Nyako sit on di Biafra activist case on 8 April.

Read on to see key things wey hapun for court before di judge adjourn di case.

1. Justice Binta Nyako reduce charges against Nnamdi Kanu

For one major ruling, di trial Judge for di Federal High Court drop eight (8) out of di fifteen (15) charges wey Nigerian goment bin sama against Nnamdi Kanu.

Di eight charges dey among recent offenses wey dem add do di charges against di separatist leader.

Justice Binta Nyako of di federal high court as e dey dismiss di charges rule say Counts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 dey incompetent for not disclosing any offence against di defendant.

She come rule say Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 13 and 15 disclose valid charges against Nnamdi Kanu.

And ask di prosecution to proceed trial on di remaining seven charges.

Nnamdi Kanu bin dey face accuse of different offences of 15 counts wey include treasonable felony and terrorism.

Dis na offences wey Nigeria goment alleged say e commit during di course of im separatist campaigns.

Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist case Adjournment for FEDERAL HIGH COURT Abuja - Key things wey happun on April 8

BBC

2. Many journalist no get access to enta Justice Binta Nyako courtroom

Although accredited journalists dey allowed to enta di press centre wey dey di court basement, but many tori pipo bin dey denied entry to Justice Binta Nyako courtroom.

BBC Africa tori pesin, Chris Ewokor wey bin go di court say at first Journalists no get access to enta di court.

Our reporter say many journalist dey barred from accessing di court until later report come out say di judge change her decision and allow two journalist to enta di court room.

Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist case Adjournment for FEDERAL HIGH COURT Abuja - Key things wey happun on April 8

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3. Heavy security present dey court today

Security operatives from di Department of State Service, DSS, and Nigeria Police Force, block all access routes to di high court premises just as e dey always dey during Nnamdi Kanu court trial.

BBC tori pesin Chris Ewokor wey dey present for court to cover di trial say;

“Dem bring Kanu under heavy security and around di area plus gate to di court premises security operatives dey stationed along those areas.”

“Dis na to make sure say pipo wey no get business to enta di court during di time of di sitting no get access to enta including journalists.”

Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist case Adjournment for Justice Binta Nyako FEDERAL HIGH COURT Abuja - Key things wey happun on April 8

BBC

4. Issue of Nnamdi Kanu kidnap or abduction alias rendition come up for Court

Mike Ozekhome, SAN wey dey lead Nnamdi Kanu team of lawyers, tell di court say im client experience “unlawfully, brutally and extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya without e consent”.

Di “Kidnap” or “abduction” na wetin dem dey call extraordinarily renditioned for legal language.

Dat na to capture or forcefully take someone from anoda kontri to come face persecution for im own kontri.

But di judge rule say di abduction of di separatist leader for di purpose of investigations dey allowed because e already dey face persecution for Nigeria.

Justice Binta Nyako note say Kanu already don get one bench warrant on am but e jump bail so for dis case e dey allowed.

But im lawyers insist say di Nigerian goment breach international law and violate im rights by kidnapping im from anoda kontri last year.

No official disclosure don dey about where and how dem arrest and repatriate Nnamdi Kanu.

But relatives and lawyers to di separatist leader dey claim say dey “kidnap” am for Kenya under controversial circumstances.

Kenyan goment don deny di allegation.

5. Nnamdi Kanu bail application come up

Court no gree grant di Nnamdi Kanu bail today wen di application come up during di trial.

Mike Ozekhome, wey be Kanu lead lawyer, move one application for bail.

“Until a pesin dey tried and convicted, e fit dey allowed to waka free,” Mike Ozekhome tok.

Di Senior Advocate remind di court say defendant suppose enjoy di presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

“I humbly beg my lord to use your discretion to grant im [Nnamdi Kanu] bail, subject to my lord’s condition.

“You fit limit am [Nnamdi Kanu] to stay for my house and I no go allow am to move around”, di lawyer add jokingly as e stand before Justice Nyako.

But Shuaibu Labaran, Nigerian goment lawyer wey be di prosecution counsel, pray di court to refuse di application.

And add say Mazi Nnamdi Kanu don allegedly violate di earlier bail wey dem grant am.

As response to di bail application, Justice Nyako, come fix May 18 and 26, 2022 for a hearing on di application.

Nnamdi Kanu don dey for solitary confinement, under di custody of Nigerian secret police [Department of State Service – DSS] since June 2021 .

Dem bring cloths for Nnamdi Kanu to change?

Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist case Adjournment for Justice Binta Nyako FEDERAL HIGH COURT Abuja - Key things wey happun on April 8

BBC
Nnamdi Kanu brother Emmanuel Kanu bring am two cloths to change but e say DSS no allow am change to dem

Nnamdi Kanu brother Emmanuel Kanu show face for court on Friday.

E tell tori pipo say im bring cloths for im brother to change.

Emmanuel Kanu say as im bin not fit give di separatist leader di cloth for Nigeria secret police – DSS custody, im decide to cari am come court.

However BBC tori pesin Chris Ewokor say e no dey di court room to know if Kanu brother actually bring cloth for am to wear but dis no be di first time wey Kanu dey refused to change cloths.

“Even though Judge don order early before now say make DSS allow Kanu to change im cloths but dem allege say Kanu refuse to change dat particular cloth,” Ewokor report.

How Kanu Lawyers and supporters feel afta 8 April trial?

Out of everything wey happun on Friday for court, wetin dey more important for Nnamdi Kanu lawyers and supporters be say eight out of di 15 charges don dey dismissed.

Na wetin BBC tori pesin wey cover di trial tok. And to dem, dis dey considered as a major victory.

Now, dem dey hope say dem go dey able to work hard to make sure di oda charges drop too.

Di trial of Nnamdi Kanu dey adjourned and e go kontinu on 17th, 18th and 26th May wia Kanu go ansa for di remaining count charges.

Di court go also entertain im bail application for di next adjourn dates.

Nnamdi Kanu court trial: Charges wey remain against di Biafra activist

Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist case Adjournment for Justice Binta Nyako FEDERAL HIGH COURT Abuja - Key things wey happun on April 8

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Count 1: Say Nnamdi Kanu as member and leader of Ipob commit act of terrorism against di federal republic of Nigeria by making broadcast wit intention to intimidate di population.

Count 2: Say Nnamdi Kanu as member and leader of Ipob commit act of terrorism against di federal republic of Nigeria by making broadcast wit intention to threaten members of di public wit sit at home order.

Count 3: Say Nnamdi Kanu make broadcast wia e declare imsef as member and leader of Ipob, group wey Nigeria goment don ban.

Count 4: Say Nnamdi Kanu make broadcast wia e encourage members of di public to kill Nigeria security officers.

Count 5: Say Nnamdi Kanu make broadcast wia e encourage di public to attack officers of di Nigeria police force.

Count 13: Say Nnamdi Kanu make broadcast wia e encourage members of di public to burn down evri federal goment facilty for Lagos wey lead to major economic loss to federal goment.

Count 15: Say Nnamdi Kanu import Radio transmitter known as Tram 50L and hide am inside container for Ubulisiuzor for Ihiala Local government area of Anambra state.

Nnamdi Kanu next trial date

Nnamdi Kanu trial today: Biafra activist case Adjournment for Justice Binta Nyako FEDERAL HIGH COURT Abuja - Key things wey happun on April 8

BBC

Di trial of Nnamdi Kanu dey adjourned and e go kontinu on 17th, 18th and 26th May.

Di judge bin take Kanu application for bail but decide ruling on a later date.

Na since June 2021, di Federal goment repatriate di Biafra activist to Nigeria to continue im trial.

Timeline of Nnamdi Kanu Trial from 2015

October 2015: Dem arrest and arraign Kanu on top charges of treasonable felony, unlawful possession of arms, and illegal importation of broadcast equipment, for Federal High Court, Abuja.

October 2015: Kanu and im defendants deny di charges dem.

December 2015: Court order di release of Nnamdi Kanu but di federal goment refuse to comply.

December 2015: Di federal goment file anoda five-count charge of treasonable felony against di Ipob leader and for 2016, three courts rule say make dem lock am for Kuje prison, citing threats to national security.

May 2016: Nnamdi Kanu cari cry go ECOWAS Court and blame President Buhari say e no wan grant am bail.

April 2017: Di federal high court for Abuja come grant Kanu bail on ‘health grounds.’

April 2017: Kanu come become free man once again afta dem detain am for 18 months.

September 2017: Kanu japa from Naija.

September 2017: Di lawyer wey dey represent Kanu say im neva yan wit im client since September 14, wen sojas invade im house for Imo state.

October 2017: Wen court resume di treason trial of Kanu, e no show.

June 2021: Di Federal goment repatriate Ipob leader to Nigeria to continue im trial. Nigeria Minister of justice na im announce say dem don catch am and return am back to di kontri.

June 2021: Court order make dem lock am for SSS custody until July 26.

July 26, 2021: Court adjourn di case to October 21.

October 21: Dem bring Kanu come court wit plenti security and court adjourn to 10th November.

November 10, 2021: Nnamdi Kanu lawyers stage walkout from di court afta SSS no allow some of di defence lawyers to enta di court room.

November 10, 2021: Di presiding judge come move di case to 19, 20 of January, 2022.

December 2nd, 2021: Di court hold an emergency session wia Nnamdi kanu lawyers ask di court to move di trial date forward and court agree and put am for January 18, 19, 20.

January 18, 2022: Di presiding judge adjourn di case to 19 afta di prosecution file new charges.

January 19, 2022: Kanu plead not guilty to di charges against am and di judge adjourn di mata to 16 of February to consider application to quash di charges against Kanu.

February 16, 2022: Kanu challenge di competence of di court to hear im matter. Court adjourn to April 8 for ruling.

April 8, 2022: Justice Binta Nyako reduce charges against Nnamdi Kanu to seven from 15. Court adjourn to 17th, 18th and 26th May for ruling on im bail application.