Court dismisses reports new judge withdrew from Nnamdi Kanu’s case

The federal high court has refuted reports alleging that the new judge assigned to preside over the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stepped down.

John Tsoho, chief judge of the federal high court, reassigned Kanu’s case to another judge after the IPOB leader repeatedly asked Binta Nyako to recuse herself from his case.

On February 10, Nyako adjourned the case indefinitely following Kanu’s insistence that she could no longer preside over it due to her earlier recusal.

In a statement on March 8, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed receiving “two separate official letters” from Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), and Tsoho, informing him of the case reassignment.

However, online reports later surfaced claiming that Tsoho was personally handling the case and had withdrawn from it. The reports also claimed that Kanu’s arrest was unlawful.

Reacting to these claims in a statement on Tuesday, Sulaiman Hassan, chief registrar of the court, described the reports as “entirely unfounded, fictitious, and grossly mischievous”.

“The true position is that the honourable justice Tsoho, in his capacity as chief judge, has reassigned Nnamdi Kanu’s case from honourable justice Binta Nyako to another (‘new’) judge. The report referred to, is, therefore, totally spurious,” he said.

“The defense team should hence prepare to receive instructions regarding the case, as may be issued by the new judge.

“The federal high court strongly cautions against deliberate misinformation to mislead the public and erode confidence in the judicial system.”

Members of the public were advised to seek official information from the court’s information department for any further inquiries.