Court Fixes Nov 10 to Hear Nnamdi Kanu’s Application, Challenging Competence of Charge

A Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday fixed Nov. 10 for hearing the application of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, challenging the competency of the charged preferred against him by the Federal Government

Justice Binta Nyako fixed the date after the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) filed a fresh seven-count charge against Kanu.

The judge also made an order that three people of Kanu’s choice should be allowed to visit him every Thursday However, Kanu’s plea to be transferred to Kuje Correctional Centre was rejected by the court.

Earlier, the DSS brought Kanu into the courtroom on the fifth floor of the high-rise building at about 9:45am accompanied by heavily armed security agents.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on Monday filed fresh charge against Kanu bordering on treasonable felony and acts of terrorism.

NAN also reports that there was pandemonium earlier at the main entrance of the building as lawyers clashed with the DSS personnel over refusal to allow them access into the court premises.

The Federal Government arrested and returned Kanu on June 20.

NAN reports that on June 28, Justice Binta Nyako gave the order that he be remanded in DSS custody.

Ahead of the arraignment of Kanu before Justice Nyako, tight security was woven around the Federal High Court Abuja a large number of security personnel deployed to the court premises and it’s surrounding to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

Entrances leading to the court premises were barricaded by a combined team of gun-wielding Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, the Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) and men of the Nigerian Police.

At about 8:02am, a heavily fortified security convoy arrived the court premises, which appeared to be carrying Kanu. Journalists, lawyers and litigants and other people who had come to transact one business or the other were denied access into the court premises.

Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony.

He had been granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons but skipped bail after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.

He later left Nigeria after soldiers raided his father’s residence in Abia state in November 2017. IPOB was subsequently declared a terrorist group by the defense headquarters and court after the south-east governors proscribed it.