Justice Binta Nyako of the federal high court in Abuja Thursday changed the trial date of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafran IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, from January 19 to 18 next year.
Blueprint reports that at the last sitting, the matter was fixed for the 19th of January.
The judge also gave an order that the Department of State Service operative (DSS) should allow Kanu to practice his faith, change his clothes and be given maximum possible comfort in the detention facility.
The shift in the trial date followed the abridgment of time granted by the judge following a passionate plea to that effect.
Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had approached the court with an application seeking order of the court to accommodate the trial in November and December this year as against the earlier January 19.
Shuaib Labaran who stood for the federal government however told the court that a counter affidavit opposing the request by the federal government has been filed and served on Kanu.
The judge interjected and rejected the application for time abridgment, adducing lack of judicial time for such an issue,
In the drama that ensued thereafter, the judge ordered that the case diary of the court be read to the lawyers in order to establish that the court has crowded cases to attend to.
However, following the counsel’s insistence, Justice Nyako agreed to shift other cases slated for January 18 to accommodate the trial which will last till January 19 and 20.
Earlier, the unusual desertion of the FHC premises and adjoining roads gave room for doubts as to whether or not the trial will continue.
Although Kanu was not physically in court, his lawyer started strolling into the court around 8am Thursday.
But the continuation of trial and arguments on the time abridgement application did not commence until after 10 am, as the judge could not sit on time.
In her characteristics manner and sticker to COVID-19 protocols, Justice Nyako again, reduced the population in the court, as many lawyers and journalists were asked to vacate their seats before the commencement of the proceedings.