BIAFRA: Kanu causes stir in court over secret trial, forces judge to defer case

Following the refusal of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu to be tried secretly, trial Justice Binta Nyako on Tuesday deferred his case and other leaders of the group till Thursday to allow Federal Government file its response.

Kanu is said to have caused an uproar at the Federal High Court Abuja, when he vehemently insisted that he must not be tried secretly and questioned the competence of the 11-count treason charge leveled against him and three other pro-Biafra agitators by the Nigerian government.

Others who are standing trial along with Kanu are Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

The defendants were said to have prayed Justice Nyako to quash all the charges levelled against them on the basis that there was no proof of evidence by the Federal Government to substantiate their alleged treasonable offenses.

They also sought leave of the court to appeal against the December 1, 2016, ruling by trial judge Nyako which denied them bail.

Read also: BIAFRA: Kanu fumes at court, says FG witnesses can’t testify in secret

Nyako was said to have upon the prayers of the defendants deferred their trial till Thursday to allow the prosecutors submit their response.

While the proceedings were ongoing, some IPOB supporters who clothed themselves in Jewish outfits and chanting pro-Biafra songs besieged the court premises on Tuesday, demanding the unconditional release of their leaders.

Recall that the trial judge had on December 12 granted the Federal Government its prayer to allow witnesses against the accused persons appear in some sort of mask to conceal their identity for security purposes.

The granting of that prayer by Justice Nyako, infuriated the IPOB leader who went berserk and threatened he would in the course of the trial, expose secrets according to him that will sink Nigeria.
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