The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has struck out the suit filed by the detained leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, against the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court on the secret trial of terrorism charges policy of the court.
The suit was struck out yesterday after it was withdrawn by the IPOB leader.
Recall that Kanu had dragged the Chief Judge before the court following the adoption of a Practice Direction which directed the trial of terrorism-related charges to be done in camera. His grouse was that the secret trial policy effected shortly after the Federal Government slammed a 15-count treasonable felony charge against him constituted an infringement of his fundamental rights to a fair trial.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, and the Chief Registrar of the court were cited as defendants in the suit.
At yesterday’s proceedings when the hearing was to commence, Kanu, through his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, announced that he was no longer interested in continuing with the suit. Ejiofor subsequently applied that the matter be struck out, in line with the wish of Kanu. Accordingly, the presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo, struck out the suit.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the court session, the lawyer explained that the decision to withdraw the case stemmed from the discovery that the policy was not targeted at his client.
