At the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, Justice Binta Nyako announced her decision to withdraw from the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the proscribed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
According to The PUNCH, the move came after Kanu openly requested that the judge recuse herself, citing her refusal to comply with Supreme Court directives.
The term “recuse,” as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, refers to the act of disqualifying oneself from a case due to a potential conflict of interest or perceived lack of impartiality.
Kanu argued that Justice Nyako’s continued involvement in the case undermined his confidence in receiving a fair trial.
The federal government is prosecuting him on a seven-count charge, including allegations of terrorism.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the court’s handling of the case, Kanu stated, “My lord, I have no confidence in this court anymore and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.”
He emphasized that while it was one thing for the Department of State Services to disregard court orders, it was another for a judicial body to do the same.
In response, Justice Nyako stated that she would be more than willing to step down from the case, revealing that she had been considering this course of action prior to Kanu’s request.
“I hereby recuse myself and remit the case file back to the Chief Judge,” she declared, signaling the end of her involvement in the trial.
During the proceedings, there was a tense exchange between Kanu and his legal representative, Alloy Ejimakor. As Ejimakor attempted to persuade the court to halt the trial on the grounds that Kanu had not been given adequate time to prepare his defense, Kanu interrupted him.
“Sit down! I say you should sit down!” he commanded, expressing his frustration with the situation.
Despite the efforts of the prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to convince Justice Nyako to continue with the case, she reiterated her decision to recuse herself and return the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment.
This development adds another layer of complexity to the legal proceedings against Kanu, whose trial has been a focal point of controversy and debate.
