Nigeria’s Federal High Court Judge, Justice Binta Nyako has indicated stepping down from presiding over the criminal trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The judge made this known today at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, at the resumed hearing in the trial of Kanu.
Justice Nyako’s response to recuse herself from the trial followed Kanu’s request in the open court that the trial judge recuses herself from his trial since she has allegedly refused to obey the orders of the Nigerian Supreme Court.
Kanu stated that he had lost confidence in the court and that the trial judge should recuse herself from his trial.
Justice Nyako replied that she would be happy to do just that. She added that she would be sending Kanu’s case file back to the chief judge for it to be reassigned.
According to Punch, Kanu ordered his counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, to sit down while he was trying to persuade the court to adjourn the trial on the basis that his client was being denied the opportunity to prepare his defence.
“Sit down! I say you should sit down!” Kanu yelled at his counsel.
Speaking further, Kanu said: “My lord, I have no confidence in this court any more, and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.
“I can understand it, if the DSS refuses to obey a court order, but for this court to refuse to obey an order of the Supreme Court is regrettable.
“I am asking you to recuse yourself from this case.”
The prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, however, tried to urge Justice Nyako to proceed with the trial, but she responded that she had been minded to recuse herself from the case.
Justice Nyako declared: “I hereby recuse myself and remit the case file back to the Chief Judge.”