By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor For the first time since he was arraigned in court in July 2021, detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, took his plea in court on Wednesday.
Kanu pleaded not guilty to the amended 15-count charge of treasonable felony.
When the charges were read to him during the trial, the IPOB leader pleaded not guilty and the case was subsequently adjourned to February 15, 2022.
Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested in October 2015, but he took advantage of his bail to leave Nigeria in 2017.
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Kanu is charged with “terrorism, treason, running an illegal company, publishing defamatory material and illegal possession of firearms,” according to the Justice Minister Abubakar Malami.
Judge Binta Nyako of the Federal High court Abuja adjourned the trial to February 16 by to consider the application to squash the charges.
Taken his no guilty plea, Nnamdi Kanu denied committing any of the 15-count terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
He made the denial when the charges were read to him by the Registrar of the court, Mr A. O. Yahaya.
Following an absence of objection, the Court ordered that Kanu take his plea in the 15-count terrorism charges brought against him.
Justice Nyako issued the order following the request of the Federal Government lawyer, Mr. Shuaib Labaran, and no objection by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) standing for Kanu.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government confirmed that the Department of the State Service (DSS) has provided Kanu with an orthopedic mattress, pillows, blankets among other things in compliance with the court order.
Labaran conveyed the news to Justice Nyako in court today.
Justice Nyako had frowned yesterday that Kanu had been wearing the same clothes in the last six months and ordered that she didn’t want to see him in the same clothes again.
Details shortly…