Tension erupted on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja when Judge James Omotosho ordered security officers to b forcibly eject Nnamdi Kanu, leader of banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from the courtroom.
Gatekeepers News reports that the judge’s directive followed Kanu’s vehement insistence that the court could not proceed with its judgment because he had not filed a final written address which is a legal brief he argues is his right.
Kanu repeatedly shouted, demanding that the judge “show me where in the law it says I cannot file a written address.” His interruptions forced a temporary halt in proceedings while security personnel escorted him out.
Earlier in the hearing, Justice Omotosho had dismissed several fresh motions filed by Kanu, noting they rehashed issues previously raised by the IPOB leader.
He also denied Kanu’s request to refer the case to the Court of Appeal, citing Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which prohibits a stay of proceedings in criminal trials.
In addition, the court rejected Kanu’s bid for bail, although the judge said some of the points he raised would be addressed in the forthcoming judgment.
When the judge tried to begin reading the judgment, Kanu again objected, asserting that without his written address being admitted, “the court has no jurisdiction to decide this case.”
