The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday said the trial of Nnamdi Kanu would go ahead but cut back on the 15-count charges by the Federal Government.
Justice Binta Nyako struck out several of the charges in her ruling on the application by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra on Friday.
In her ruling, the Judge said,
“In this instant preliminary objection application, I have read the counts, and counts 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 have not disclosed any offense.
“‘Count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 15 show some allegations.
“The court shall proceed to try the defendant on those counts.”
Regarding the claim that Kanu was illegally brought into Nigeria from Kenya, Justice Nyako held that the IPOB leader remains a fugitive because of a bench warrant against him.
“Rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed. In the instant case, there is a bench warrant on the defendant, suffice it to say, he is a fugitive before the court,” she said.
She also held that the court has jurisdiction to try the defendant for an offense committed outside the court, contrary to the argument of Kanu’s lawyer.
On the issue of the proscription of IPOB, she said “this issue is still on appeal, the order proscribing the organization is still subsisting until it is vacated.”
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