…Police release Sowore, other protesters in Abuja
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB).
Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the trial yesterday, at the resumption of proceedings at the court in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT).
The trial suffered a setback after the Department of State Services, (DSS) failed to produce Kanu in court.
Justice Nyako faulted the action of the security outfit, noting that she had stayed back in her chambers waiting for the defendant to be in court. She asked the prosecution to be diligent with dates whenever she gives one, stressing that it was important for Kanu to be present at his trial.
In his response, the prosecution, Mohammed Abubakar, informed the judge that the defendant was not in court due to logistics reasons.
Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on his part, decried that the DSS has denied them access to the defendant for the past eight days and urged the court to grant the request of his client seeking to be transferred from the DSS custody to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. According to him, the defendant cannot get a fair trial if he remains in the custody of the DSS.
After listening to both counsels, Justice Nyako, thereafter, adjourned the trial of the defendant to October 21.
Meanwhile, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, along with some others who were arrested during an alleged protest in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu
at the Federal High Court, have been released. A few hours after their arrest, the ‘Buhari-Must-Go’ activist announced that he had been released alongside others.
Reacting, the Coalition of Civil Society condemned the arrest of Sowore and other supporters of the detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Coordinator of the Coalition, Dimeji Macaulay, thanked Nigerians for putting pressure on the security operatives to release Sowore and others.
