Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers stage walkout, trial adjourned till Jan 19

A team of lawyers of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday staged a walkout before the trial opened.

Counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Abubakar, told Justice Binta Nyako, following non-appearance of any lawyer on Kanu’s behalf shortly after the case was called.

When the matter was called, Abubakar announced appearance for the AGF.

However, no lawyer was in court to announce appearance for the leader of the IPOB.

Abubakar then told the court that Kanu’s counsel, led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, staged a walkout because some of the lawyers, including the American lawyer, Bruce Fein, were denied access.

Also speaking, Kanu told the court that in the previous sitting, his foreign lawyer, Fein, was also denied access.

Justice Binta then adjourned the matter until January 19 and 20 for trial continuation.

Earlier, there was tight security at the Federal High Court, Abuja as Kanu was produced to face his trial.

A large number of security personnel were deployed to the court premises and its surroundings on Wednesday to forestall security breach.

Entrances leading to the court premises were barricaded by a combined armed officers of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, the Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence and the Nigerian Police.

Vehicles were not allowed into the court compound.

However, court staff and journalists, whose names are on the list for the coverage, are allowed access into the building.

Five media houses were given access into the court room out of the list presented to the DSS operatives, a number of media practitioners were asked to stay at the Media Centre at the court basement.