The Federal Court of Justice in Abuja ordered Thursday the arrest of Biafra indigenous leader Nnamdi Kanu and ordered that his trial for treason for treason should be continued in absent.


The judge, Justice Binta Nyako, whose decision was based on the provisions of Section 352 (4) of the Criminal Law Act of 2015, said that since 25 April 2017, kanu had not appeared in court without sound reasoning.

The lead prosecutor, Magaji Labaran, earlier filed for court orders in the lawsuit on Thursday.

Kanu's lawyer, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had spoken out against Labaran's verbal application and asked for more time to explain why his client had not been to the court by filing all the necessary documents.


He insisted that kanu’s disappearance as a result of the invasion of the soldiers took place in the house of the IPOB leader in Afara-Ukwu near Umuahia in the state of Abia, when the "Operation Python Dance II" of the military was staged to the excitement to suppress the Republic of Biafra.

However, the judge found that in a civil lawsuit filed by Kanu, that there was no connection between the said military invasion and the disappearance of the IPOB leader, she rescinded the opposition and insisted that the defendant's request be reversed Declaration requested Absence in court was delayed.

The judge, who also found that Kanu had violated the terms and conditions of the bail he was granted, recalled that the following proceeding was made on 11 July 2017 after the defendant was released on bail on 17 April , due to the holidays of the court could not enter into force.

She also recalled that on October 17, 2017, Kanu did not appear in court with his attorney, who alleged that the court's absence from the defendant was due to soldiers invading his native Abia state.

The judge also pointed out that the three people who guaranteed his bail had applied to the court for their waiver because they could not explain his whereabouts.

She pointed out that on March 28, 2018, Kanu's case was severed from that of his four other defendants in order to avoid delays in the other person's process.



She added that on 14 November 2018, she ordered that the guarantees temporarily bond her N100m bail or put Kanu on trial.

The judge added that since the separation of canoe trials from those of other trials, four trials have been held and adjourned without a Kanu.

"The trial must end in one way or another," Justice Nyako said.

She included, "I gave the counsel of the defendant all that anyone could need time to convey him to equity. Therefore, in accordance with Section 252 (4) of the Criminal Justice Act 2015, there is only the possibility of ordering the continuation of the proceedings in his absence.

"Since there is no reasonable explanation for his absence, I hereby revoke his bail and order the order of a bank order for his arrest."

She ruled June 18 for the trial to begin with or without the presence of Kanu in court.

Kanu has seen online appearances since last year. and was said at one time to be on a religious pilgrimage to Israel.

Kanu's lawyer Ejiofor has pledged to protest the court's decision on his client's arrest and legal proceedings