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In a significant turn in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), following the reassignment of the matter to a new judge, has hailed the Nigerian judiciary.

This decision comes after months of legal hurdles following the recusal of the previous judge handling the case in September 2024. The news was announced through a press release issued by Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, the lead counsel to Kanu, on 8th March 2025.

According to the statement, the legal team received two official letters before their routine visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. One came from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, responding to a request for administrative intervention to ensure the case was reassigned lawfully.

The second letter, from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, confirmed that the case had indeed been reassigned to another judge.

“Yesterday (Friday), before the legal team conducted our routine visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we received two separate official letters regarding his case. The letters are momentous and somewhat pyrrhic.

“One letter was from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, responding to a recent letter we had written to her, seeking her prompt administrative intervention (as the administrative head of Nigerian judiciary) on the matter of a proper and lawful reassignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, following the recusal of the Judge that was conducting it.

“The other letter was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, informing us that the case has been reassigned to another Judge of the Federal High Court”, he said.

Barr. Ejimakor conveyed Kanu’s gratitude to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for her swift and judicious response to the legal team’s request. He also expressed appreciation to the general public for their vocal support of the demand for a reassignment, which he described as a matter of legal necessity.

In his words, “Consequent upon these latest developments, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu instructed the legal team to publicly convey his sincere gratitudes to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for her sound administrative discretions and the despatch with which she responded to our request.

“He also expressed his profound appreciations to members of the general public who publicly expressed their support to our righteous demands that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case be reassigned to another Judge, as the law demands.”

On Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s readiness to face trial, driven by his belief in his innocence, Barr Aloy Ejimakor stated:” To be sure, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has always been ready to take his trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence.

“But the perverse events of the past six months (from September 2024, when the recusal happened) posed portent dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to fair and speedy hearing. It was in view of these untoward developments that we were propelled to resort to taking extraordinary measures to ensure that his case is properly reassigned and conducted in accordance with the law.”

These challenges compelled the legal team to take “extraordinary measures” to ensure the case was reassigned in accordance with the law.

As the case moves forward, Kanu’s legal team is gearing up to prepare a robust defense.

Ejimakor noted that the recent developments represent an important first step toward resolving the legal impasse, signaling hope for a lawful and transparent judicial process, saying “So, now that the first steps have been taken by the authorities to do the lawful thing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his legal team shall take stock and hanker down to the zealous preparation of his defense.”

StreetReporters.ng

This post has already been read at least 1184 times!