Alleged Treasonable Felony: Our Hope of Getting Fair Trial Zero, Kanu's Lawyers Cry Out

Lawyers for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, have cried out that there is no way that their client can get a fair trial, owing to Kanu's continued detention by the Department of the State Services (DSS).

The lawyers lamented that it is difficult for Kanu to effectively defend himself against the alleged treasonable felony and terrorism charge when he can hardly access his lawyers or have any discussion without interference by operatives of the security agency.

Kanu has been in custody of the DSS since 2021, when he was arrested in Kenya and forcefully brought back to Nigeria to continue his trial.

He was first arrested in 2015, in Lagos, shortly after he entered the country on a visit and was later arraigned in 2016, alongside four others on offences bordering on treason.

However, trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in 2017, admitted him to bail in the sum of N100 million and three sureties in like sum, on health grounds to enable him prepare adequately for his trial.

The bail was however revoked in 2019 and a warrant of arrest issued against him, for jumping bail in late 2019 and abandoning his trial.

But Kanu has maintained that he did not jump bail but fled for his life after soldiers attacked his family's home in Abia State, killing several persons in the process.

Although Justice Nyako had at the resumed trial struck out eight of the 15 amended charges filed against him by the federal government, she however refused to admit Kanu to another bail.