Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has announced her decision to recuse herself from the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This decision comes after Kanu expressed a loss of confidence in the court, alleging that Justice Nyako had failed to comply with a Supreme Court order.
The announcement was made during the resumption of Kanu’s trial on Tuesday, where he vocally requested that Justice Nyako step aside. “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,” Kanu stated. He also pointed out the Supreme Court’s concerns regarding the jurisdiction related to the charges against him.
In response, Justice Nyako expressed her willingness to comply with Kanu’s request, stating, “I will be happy to recuse myself from the trial and will send the case file back to the Chief Judge for reassignment and further necessary actions.”
Tensions rose in the courtroom as Kanu, standing from the dock, ordered his counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, to remain seated while he addressed the judge directly. He criticized the court for allegedly ignoring the Supreme Court’s directives and raised issues of perceived bias against Justice Nyako.
The counsel for the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awomolo, had indicated readiness to proceed with the trial but acknowledged that it could not move forward under the current circumstances. Despite urging Justice Nyako to continue, she reiterated her commitment to recuse herself from the case.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and subsequently brought back to Nigeria to face terrorism charges. Although he has pleaded not guilty, Justice Nyako previously denied his bail application, citing his prior flight from bail conditions linked to his earlier release, for which Senator Abaribe acted as surety. Kanu has since remained in the custody of the Department of State Services on the orders of the Federal High Court.
