Federal High court for Abuja on Wednesday adjourn di trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of di proscribed group, Indigenous People of Biafra, Ipob, to 19 and 20, January, 2022.
Kanu show for court on Wednesday to face di charges wey Nigeria goment nack for im head. But small drama bin play out wey make dem lock Nnamdi Kanu lawyers outside and make di judge to adjourn di case.
Wetin really hapun?
One lawyer wey dey present for inside court but wey no want us to mention im name narrate to BBC Pidgin wetin hapun.
“Dis morning we come court to take di application wey di defence counsel file, wey challenge di jurisdiction of dis honourable court, wey be di charges wey dey pending before di honourable court.
Dem bring in di Defendant (Nnamdi Kanu) and e lawyers plenti wey come na Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor naim lead dem and dem come dey snap pictures with di defendant (Nnamdi Kanu) dem dey do video as well. Small time dem announce say di court dey about to sit, and all di lawyers in dia numbers walk out of di court room.” E tok.
Di lawyer add say wen di judge enta ti courtroom come call di case, di lawyers dey absent.
“Di defendant Nnamdi Kanu enta di dock, and di court come ask for di appearance of di prosecution and di defendants – non of di lawyers dey court at dis particular time.
Di court come dey curious, come decide to find out from di defendant (Nnamdi Kanu) wia im lawyers dey?. Im come answer say, all of dem stage a walk- out.” e tok.
Di lawyer add say di court bin try to find out wetin hapun why dem waka comot.
“Kanu come tell court say im get one of im American lawyers wey come, wey dey handle one of im cases for USA. and say im come Nigeria but dem deny am access to di court, so in protest im lawyers walk out of di court.
Di court come dey very very curious, come ask if di USA lawyer get license to practice for Nigeria? Nnamdi Kanu respond in di negative(No) di court come decide to continue wit di business of di day.” E tok
Di lawyer add say di absence of di lawyers make di court take decision to adjourn di mata sake of say na dem file di application and dem no dey court at dat particular time, di court decide not to strike out dia application, but order say make di court adjourn di mata for proper trial.
‘Dem lock us outside’
But Nnamdi Kanu lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor say dem no intend to tanda outside but na di court lock dem outside.
“We dey court for di hearing, we come early becos of di concerns we dey always get say lawyers no dey dey allowed inside di court, we bin dey here early to resolve am. Our wigs and gowns bin dey inside di court, our books and bags dey inside di court, becos some of us dey outside dem no allow us come in, but di court come in and dem call up di case.
Ordinarily na di practice say wen lawyers no dey and you dey aware say wig and gown dey you go naturally ask where di lawyers dey and dem go tell you. Nnamdi Kanu junior brother dey court, and our client dey court, we bin don see am before, e go don say my lawyers dey outside and you for summon di lead counsel to find out from am wetin dey hapun, dat na di practice in a civilized society.
I never see where court go call up a case wen di lawyers for di mata dey outside di court door, I never see am before.” Ejiofor tok.
Ejiofor add say wen dem dey outside and here say court wan start, dem try get back inside but dem lock dem outside.
“When dem tell us say di court bin wan proceed, we struggle to go back inside, dem lock us outside, we knock dem lock us out only for dem to later tell us say di court call our client, call the prosecutor and discuss with dem.
Dis one take us back to wetin hapun on 26 of June 2021 where e dey tok to court without reference to us, and dem allowa md to address di court. Na di height of travesty of justice na wetin you dey see now. If di court no dey ready to go on with dis case, wetin my lord suppose do na to excuse herself from di mata simple.
Di legal team no get confidence in di court to handle di case and we go activate legal process to make sure say di right tin hapun.” Ejiofor tok.
Kanu during im last hearing on October 21, 2021 plead not guilty to di new amended seven count charges goment bring against am.
Di court bin adjourn di case to November 10, 2021 to hear one application Kanu file to challenge di accuse goment sama am.
Di Nigerian goment accuse di Ipob leader of accusations wey include treason and say im broadcast lies about President Muhammadu Buhari.
Dem also accuse am say e be member of group goment don outlaw. Most of di accuse dey based on di tins wey im allegedly tok for Radio Biafra wey dey broadcast from outside Nigeria.
Additional charges against Kanu
On Monday 18 October, goment add more charges to di three im dey face so dis na di amended charges dem.
- Say Kanu allegedly use im radio broadcast from London wia e boast to separate southeast, southsouth and some parts of Kogi and Benue states from Nigeria to form Biafra land.
- Say Kanu allegedly use im radio broadcast from London abuse Nigeria President Muhammdu Buhari wen im call di president “paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil.”
- Say Kanu allegedly import Radio transmitter wey be TRAM 50L wey e hide inside container go keep for Ihiala, Anambra state.
- Say Kanu allegedly declare im sef as member of Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), group wey Nigeria goment don ban.
- Say Kanu allegedly commit terrorism wen e use di radio broadcast from London to encourage members of di banned Ipob to attack Nigeria security operatives and dia family members.
- Say Kanu allegedly commit terrorism wen im boast say tins go happen and say pipo go die.
- Say Kanu allegedly use di Radio broadcast from London to commit act of terrorism wen e declare sit-at-home and threaten death on pipo wey no obey di order.
Oga Kanu make im third appearance since June wen security agents bring am back to Nigeria from anoda kontri wey dem no mention.
