By Abiola Olawale
The embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Monday, appeared before the Federal High Court, Abuja division.
At resumption of the trial of Kanu, the high court heard the bail application and preliminary objection filed by the IPOB leader.
Speaking at the proceedings, Kanu’s counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, told the court that he had two motions: an application for bail and a preliminary objection. He said though he agreed that the Supreme Court directed the continuation of the trial, they were not ready to continue the proceeding.
Kanu, through his legal counsel predicated his request mainly on the fact that he may not be able to put up a good defence unless admitted to bail to have unfettered access to his lawyers. He also claimed to be suffering from acute hypertension and acute heart disease, among others.
However, the federal government through its legal counsel, Adegboyega Awolomo, objected to the request on the grounds that Kanu had no right under any law to dictate how his trial should be conducted.
Meanwhile, in her ruling, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, after hearing arguments from both sides, fixed March 19 for ruling in the application by Nnamdi Kanu seeking to be admitted to bail.
The New Diplomat reports that Kanu was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.
In April 2017, Kanu was released from prison on bail. He jetted out of the country and continued his activism for the secession of South east from Nigeria until his rearrest in Kenya in 2021. The government had accused Kanu of jumping baila and had since placed him in detention.
