'If new judge no dey for Nnamdi Kanu case, issues fit arise' - Wetin go happun next?

Di leader of di secessionist Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) Nnamdi Kanu through im lawyer don tok say di court case go wait if di federal govment no change Justice Binta Nyako, di judge wey dey in charge of im case.

Lead counsel to Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, tell BBC News Pidgin say Kanu don lose confidence in di judge and want make dem get anoda one wey go handle di case.

Kanu ask make di trial judge wey be Justice Nyako excuse wash hand comot from di case sake of how e no reinstate Kanu bail in accordance to di Supreme Court mata.

Di lead counsel add say if dem no change di judge, di case no fit reopen and e go dey unconstitutional to hold Kanu for detention.

"Di legal way to describe why Justice Nyako no longer dey preside ova Kanu case na to say dat Kanu exercise im constitutional right to recuse di judge, not for any personal animosity or intransigence, but for di fact say e lost confidence for di judge afta she fail to reinstate Kanu bail in accordance wit di dictates of di Supreme Court judgement for di mata," di lead counsel tok.

Lead counsel Ejimakor add say since di judge even accept to excuse hersef from di case in good faith, dem go wait till anoda judge handle di case.

"Say di judge accept di recusal in good faith and enrol an order in dat regard, di case go remain in limbo until anoda judge dey assigned to handle am by di Chief Judge of di Federal High Court," lead counsel Ejimakor tell BBC News Pidgin.

Di mata stil be say Kanu still dey face treason and terrorism charges wey di Nigeria goment sama am sake of im fight for di independence of di eastern region of di kontri. E bin don plead not guilty to di charges.

Remember say for May 2024, Justice Binta Nyako of di Federal High Court Abuja reject di application to transfer Nnamdi Kanu to house arrest.

Justice Nyako say she no go change her ruling as she add for her ruling say di DSS custody remain di safest place wia di accused pesin go dey.

Also, for different times for 2024, di judge bin adjourn Kanu bail application hearing.

However, Kanu wey appear for court on Tuesday, 24 September, bin tok say to stay anoda one year for detention no be problem for am.

Same month, Justice Nyako wey dey preside ova Kanu case wash hand comot from di case sake of say Kanu say im no get confidence in her.

Wetin go happun next

Nnamdi Kanu don reject to reopen di case until dem bring anoda judge wey go replace Justice Nyako since she don wash her hand comot for di case.

For one letter dated 9 December, 2024 wey di lead counsel to di defendant bin write to di deputy registrar of di Federal High Court, e state clearly say dem dey object to di continuation of di case bifor Justice Nyako.

"Di defendat no longer get case bifor Lordship Honourable Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako," part of di letter tok.

So, wetin go happun as Kanu no go continue di case until anoda judge takeova?

Wen BBC News Pidgin ask Kanu counsel on wetin go happun next, e stand say e no get any legal pathway to resume di trial bifor Justice Nyako sake of say her order to wash her hand comot still dey effective.

Sake of dis, lead counsel Ejimakor say di case fit take a long time and e go dey unconstitutional for Kanu to still dey detention.

"If a new or anoda judge no dey assigned to di case and e fit take long for unreasonable period of time, e go create a situation wia Kanu detention go turn unconstitutional.

"Under di constitution, you no dey allowed to detain someone indefinitely witout trial, Ejimakor tok.

Di counsel make am clear say no be dia duty to ensure say di case resume becos say na di court and govment get dat duty but dem gatz act in accordance to di constitution and di law wey dey relevant to di case.

"Anytin wey dem do in opposite go draw strong opposing measures wey go bring more significant complications," Kanu counsel tok.

Counsel Ejimakor say either di govment or di judiciary dey refuse to properly do tins if dem continue to hold Kanu for detention.

"If no new judge dey assigned to handle di case, issues fit arise as to weda e get any lawful basis to continue dey detain Kanu for a trial wey either di govment or di judiciary dey refuse to conduct properly," Ejimakor tok.

'Dem want make I die for custody'

For March 2024, Nnamdi Kanu pull shirt for di Federal High Court to show say dem no dey give am proper treatment and medication and say "im dey die for DSS custody."

Di leader of di Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) bin show di part of im body wia im get marks afta di court allow am to tok for im bail application judgement wey dem deny.

Kanu say dem dey treat am for heart failure but add say na 'nonsense medication' dem dey give am.

Kanu tok say DSS no allow am get access to a doctor of im choice.

"I dey die for DSS custody and dem dey give me nonsense medication and parching me up."

"Dem dey treat me for heart failure, but dem dey give me shitty medication. Dem want make I die for custody," Kanu tok.

Di Ipob leader say make di court transfer am go Kuje prison but Justice Nyako reply say she get di right to keep Kanu for anywia wey she feel say im go dey safe.

Dat time, Justice Nyako say make Kanu remain for DSS custody.