Nnamdi Kanu rejects secret trial, heads to court

Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has gone to court to challenge the practice direction of the Federal High Court which ordered that his trial be done in secret.

He asked the court to declare that the provisions of Order III of the Federal High Court Practice Directions (On Trial of Terrorism Cases) 2022, were already the subject of Section 36 (4)(a) and (b) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, and consequently, inoperative and outrightly ultra vires.

This came as leader of a splinter group in IPOB, Simon Ekpa, has rejected calls to put an end of the Monday, April 26, 2022 sit-at-home order to protest the continued detention of Kanu.

Kanu , in the originating summons filed by his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, asked the court to declare it “invalid, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and its Chief Registrar were listed as defendants in the suit which processes were obtained by journalists yesterday.

Justice Tsoho had released a new practice direction for the trial of terrorism cases before the court.

The cases of Nnamdi Kanu, Bureau de Change operators indicted over sponsorship of terrorism, and Boko Haram suspects are currently before the court.

Justice Tsoho said the new practice direction was in the exercise of his constitutional powers as enshrined in Section 254 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Under the new arrangement, the court said media coverage of proceedings is strictly prohibited.

The IPOB leader also wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants , whether by themselves, servants, agents, privies, and all other officers and agents of the Federal High Court of Nigeria from applying and enforcing the provisions of the Federal High Court Practice Directions (On Trial of Terrorism Cases) 2022.