A lawsuit Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, filed at the Abuja Federal High Court challenging the court’s new practice guidelines, which approved the secret conduct of terrorism trials, has been dismissed.
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.
Kanu, who is charged with treasonable crime, said in the lawsuit with the file number FHC/ABJ/ CS/550/2022 that the new regulations are unlawful, unconstitutional, and should be declared void.
The Chief Registrar of the court and top judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
When the hearing was scheduled to begin on Friday, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu’s counsel, said that his client was no longer interested in pursuing the case.
Ejiofor then requested that the case be dismissed.
As a result, the case was dismissed by the presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo.
Shortly after the court hearing, the Kanu’s lawyer spoke with reporters and revealed that the choice to drop the case was made after learning that his client was not specifically mentioned in the policy.