The Federal High Court has dismissed reports suggesting that the newly assigned judge handling the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stepped down.
Kanu’s case was recently reassigned following his repeated requests for Justice Binta Nyako to recuse herself.
Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, facilitated the reassignment after Nyako indefinitely adjourned proceedings on February 10 due to Kanu’s insistence that she could no longer oversee the matter.
On March 8, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed receiving official letters from both Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Tsoho, notifying him of the case’s reassignment.
However, online reports later surfaced alleging that Tsoho had taken personal charge of the case and subsequently withdrawn, while also claiming Kanu’s arrest was unlawful.
In response, Sulaiman Hassan, Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, issued a statement on Tuesday dismissing the claims as “entirely unfounded, fictitious, and grossly mischievous.”
“The honourable Justice Tsoho, in his capacity as Chief Judge, has merely reassigned Nnamdi Kanu’s case from Justice Binta Nyako to another judge. The reports circulating online are completely false,” Hassan stated.
He urged the public to disregard misleading narratives and advised Kanu’s defense team to await instructions from the newly assigned judge.
“The Federal High Court strongly cautions against deliberate misinformation aimed at misleading the public and eroding confidence in the judicial system,” he added.
The court further encouraged the public to seek verified information from its official communication channels.