Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), filed a lawsuit against the court's new practise guidelines, which permitted the secret conduct of terrorism trials, but the federal high court in Abuja has dismissed it.
Until the chief judge of the court authorises media coverage, terrorism hearings will be held in secret, under the new rules published in April 2022.
“Proceedings of offences of terrorism, subject to the provisions of Section 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and section 34 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended), shall be held in camera or as may be ordered by the court,” the document reads.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/550/2022, Kanu, who is facing treasonable felony charges, said the new guidelines are illegal, and unconstitutional and ought to be declared null and void
John Tsoho, chief judge of the federal high court, and the chief registrar of the court were cited as defendants in the suit.
At Friday’s proceedings, when the hearing was to commence, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu’s counsel, announced that his client was no longer interested in continuing with the suit.
Ejiofor subsequently applied that the matter is struck out.
Accordingly, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, struck out the suit.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the court session, the lawyer explained that the decision to withdraw the case stemmed from the discovery that the policy was not targeted at his client.