At his fresh arraignment on Friday, Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of the Biafra nation agitators, pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government of Nigeria.
The arraignment was conducted at the Federal High Court in Abuja before Justice James Kolawole Omotosho amid watertight security provided by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.
Upon the reading of the seven-count charges one by one, Kanu, who was dressed in his usual white sportswear, denied the accusations of threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence and operating an illegal radio station to broadcast Biafra messages.
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After the plea, the federal government counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, announced to the court his readiness to conduct the prosecution in line with the spirit and letters of the Supreme Court order for a fresh trial.
He asked for an adjournment to enable him to assemble his witnesses and also applied for an accelerated hearing, which was granted by the court.
Based on the request and having no objection from the defense counsel led by Kanu Agabi, SAN, Justice James Kolawole Omotosho fixed April 29 and May 2 and 6, 2025, for the full-blown trial.
Kanu, who was brought back to the country in June 2021 from Kenya and has since been in the custody of the DSS on the order of the court, also conceded to a speedy trial of the charges against him.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, had, in a letter dated March 4, 2025, and addressed to Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, communicated the re-assignment of the case from Justice Binta Nyako to Justice Omotosho.
The re-assignment followed the demand by Kanu and his team of lawyers for the transfer of the seven-count terrorism charge to another judge after alleging bias.
Justice Nyako, on September 24, 2024, withdrew herself from the case and sent the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment.
The judge said she could not proceed with a trial where a defendant lacked confidence in the court.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, who has been elevated to the Court of Appeal, and Justice Tsoho (before becoming the CJ), had presided over Kanu’s trial before it was assigned to Justice Nyako following the defendant’s rejection of the two judges.
However, unlike in previous proceedings, Kanu was cool and calm throughout the re-arraignment.
