From Victor Osula, Abuja
Tension flared at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday when trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, ordered security operatives to forcibly remove the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from the courtroom following a heated confrontation that briefly halted proceedings in his terrorism trial.
The dramatic scene unfolded as Kanu repeatedly interrupted the court, demanding that Justice Omotosho show him the legal basis for denying him the right to file a written address before judgement is delivered. His persistent shouts prompted the judge to stand down the matter while security personnel escorted him out of the courtroom.
Before the disruption, Justice Omotosho had dismissed a set of fresh motions Kanu filed after the matter had already been fixed for judgement. The judge held that the motions merely rehashed issues previously canvassed by the defendant and did not warrant a halt in proceedings.
Kanu’s request for the case to be referred to the Court of Appeal was also rejected, with the court citing Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which prohibits stay of proceedings in criminal trials. The court equally refused his fresh application for bail, noting that some of the concerns raised would be addressed during the delivery of judgement.
However, as Justice Omotosho prepared to begin reading the long-awaited judgement, the IPOB leader again rose, insisting that the court lacked jurisdiction to proceed without admitting his written address—a position he maintained even as security officers moved in.
