Court may change venue for Kanu’s trial —Chief Judge

Future trials involving the embattled leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, may have to be shifted from the Federal High Court in Abuja, due to the unruly behaviour of his supporters, who often besieged the court.

This position was given by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, who explained that the decision was also to prevent the non-interruption of other pending cases in court.

Justice Tsoho, while hosting newly elected executives of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in his office on Thursday, decried the incessant disruption of cases anytime Kanu’s trial is to take place.

“Anytime the case involving Nnamdi Kanu comes up, the other courts cannot function. It is really not a good development. But I can assure you that we have actually gone far in finding a solution to it.

“What will ultimately happen is that, we are exploring the possibility of shifting the venue of the trial. That will be the best way out, otherwise, if the trial continues here, it will interfere with our business. We have 11 courts here but it is only one court that is trying Kanu.

“Its not really the making of the court. It is something foisted on us, it is security arrangement that causes this problem.

Read also: IPOB announces sit-at-home order ahead of Kanu’s trial

“So, you find a situation where a trial is coming up involving an individual and a whole lot of communities leave their businesses to besiege the court.

“It is a worrisome development to all of us the courts, counsel and parties.

It is worrisome, but you can’t prevent them. So how to manage it has been challenging to us. We are even trying to think of some solutions.

“If you observed, for those who were here when the matter came up, but of course, the roads were free because the matter was shifted to late afternoon,” Justice Tsoho said.

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