The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is scheduled to resume on Friday, March 21, 2025, according to Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The confirmation of the resumption date followed the reassignment of the case file to Justice Omotosho. Kanu is facing a seven-count terrorism charge brought against him by the Federal Government.
Justice Omotosho took over the case after Justice Binta Nyako, the previous judge, recused herself. This decision came after Kanu and his legal team raised allegations of bias against Justice Nyako, requesting a transfer to another judge. On September 24, 2024, Justice Nyako recused herself, but the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court initially insisted that Kanu’s legal team file a formal application for her recusal to be accepted.
Kanu’s legal team opposed the idea of him appearing before Justice Nyako in subsequent proceedings, which led to an indefinite adjournment of the case.
On February 20, 2025, Kanu’s legal team formally wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, seeking intervention. They requested that the case either be reassigned to a different Federal High Court judge in Abuja or moved to the Southeast.
In response, Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed on March 8 that they had received two letters regarding the reassignment. One was from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the other was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, notifying them that the case had been reassigned to Justice Omotosho.
With the case now under the jurisdiction of Justice Omotosho, proceedings are set to resume on March 21, 2025.