Terrorism: Judge orders Nnamdi Kanu to be taken out of court

Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was taken out of courtroom on Thursday on the order of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Kanu had insisted that judgement would not be delivered in the seven-count terrorism charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

Kanu shouted repeatedly and insisted that the trial judge must show him where it was written in the law that he was not entitled to file a written address in the case against him, and subsequently taken over proceedings, ignoring attempts to pacify him.

The court had to temporarily halt its proceedings to enable security operatives to take him out of the room.

According to the court, the motions contained issues that were previously raised by the defendant.

It dismissed Kanu’s request for the case to be referred to the Court of Appeal, stressing that section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, forbade the stay of proceedings in a criminal matter.

The court equally refused the defendant’s request for bail, saying it would, in the course of the judgement, address some of the issues Kanu raised in his motions.

As the judge attempted to commence the reading of the judgement, Kanu stood his ground, shouting that the court had no jurisdiction to decide the case without admitting his written address.

Justice Omotosho subsequently ordered that Kanu be taken out of courtroom and stood down proceeding for a few minutes.

The court is back in session, while Justice Omotosho is currently delivering his judgement in the trial that bordered on terrorism, among other charges.