On Monday, February 10, 2025, Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was returned to the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) after a dramatic court session in which his terrorism trial was adjourned indefinitely.
The case, presided over by Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, faced delays following Kanu’s insistence that she could no longer handle his trial. Kanu had asked the judge to step down after she recused herself in September 2024, citing a lack of confidence in her ability to fairly judge his case. Despite this, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, had decided to return the case file to Nyako, which Kanu argued was invalid.
During the court proceedings, Kanu took over his own defense, loudly rejecting the court’s authority and claiming that the Chief Judge’s memo could not override the judge’s earlier recusal. “You stand recused and you must leave my case. I don’t need you in my case. You are biased,” Kanu told the judge. He also criticized the prosecution, accusing them of subverting the law.
In response to the ongoing disagreement, Justice Nyako ruled that the trial would be adjourned indefinitely, explaining that she could not proceed due to the current tensions in the courtroom. Following the ruling, Kanu was escorted back to DSS custody by security personnel.
The case has now been postponed without a new trial date, and Kanu remains in detention while his legal battles continue.
