The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday, declined to grant the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, bail.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling, held that having refused to admit Mr Kanu to bail earlier, the only option left for him was to approach the appellate court.
The judge, however, ordered an accelerated hearing in the trial.
The judge also rejected Kanu’s preliminary objection, seeking an order that the State Security Service meet certain conditions before his trial could proceed.
The judge held that the court could not dictate to the security agency how best to perform its duty per international best practices. She said the best the court could do, in the circumstances, was to give an order for an accelerated hearing of the matter.
Shortly after the ruling, Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, urged the court to hold a stand-down so that his team of lawyers could consult with him (Mr Kanu) on the way forward.
On February 26, the judge had fixed today to rule on the bail application and a preliminary objection raised by Mr Kanu.
Mr Ejimakor had, on the last adjourned date, moved another bail application for Kanu’s release.
In the preliminary objection, the lawyer also prayed that the court not allow Kanu’s trial until the Federal Government met certain conditions.
He had alleged that the SSS personnel usually seized documents of Mr Kanu’s lawyers, stopped his lawyers from taking notes during visitation, and eavesdropped on Mr Kanu’s consultations with lawyers on matters pertaining to his defence, among other things.
(NAN)