Just In: Drama and Uproar in Abuja Court as Nnamdi Kanu Rejects 'Secret Trial'

Nnamdi Kanu today in court

Hehhe.....Leader of the Indigenous People of Briafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, caused an uproar at the Federal High Court, Abuja. We reported earlier today that the Federal High Court Abuja which is the venue of the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, witnessed a heavy security presence this morning in the federal capital city.

According to Vanguard, the embattled IPOB leader, caused an uproar at the High Court, after he appeared before Justice Binta Nyako, and was said to have rejected the application granted the Department of State Services (DSS), by Justice Nyako, on December 13, to try him secretly. 

Recall that the IPOB leader's trial was abruptly suspended last month, after he and other defendants angrily challenged the court’s decision to allow the use of “protected” witnesses.

The judge, Binta Nyako, had ruled in December that witnesses would be allowed some degree of protection. “The counsels and the defendants will see the witnesses. The witnesses will have special entrances to and outside the court,” the judge had said.

The ruling was enforced on Tuesday, with screen-guards shielding the judge, defendant and witnesses from the rest of the court as the session was held under tight security.

We'll be bringing you more details later…on Fidelis Chidi blog

The judge in the trial case against Nnamdi Kanu was forced to storm out of court over Kanu's refusal to allow screen guards for witnesses during his trial.

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu

 

These are photos from the secret trial session of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu holding in Abuja. The court ruled that witnesses would give statement through protected screen guards which was also captured on camera.

 

Latest reports about the event showed that the case Nnamdi Kanu and the Federal government of Nigeria kicked off at exactly 10:23am on Tuesday morning after the arrival of Justice Binta Nyako.

 

Nnamdi Kanu and the other accused persons, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Chidiebere Onwudiwe were led to the shielding apparatus set before the court where the secret witnesses were to be paraded as well.

 

 

However, the court event holding today was disrupted after Justice Binta Nyako stormed out of court.

 

It was revealed that after Binta settled down to preside over the case of allowing masked witnesses and conducting secret trial, Nnamdi Kanu was heard thundering from behind the shielding apparatus that there will be no court sitting without the presence of Biafrans and his family members outside. When asked why he said so, he replied: "Buhari cannot accuse me in the open and try me in secret."

 

 

At this point, Binta Nyako who could no longer hide her annoyance at Kanu's reaction and stormed out of the court room.

 

Protected screenguard to be used in the trial