The Federal High Court has dismissed reports claiming that the newly assigned judge overseeing Nnamdi Kanu’s case, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stepped down from the proceedings.
John Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, reassigned Kanu’s case to a new judge after the IPOB leader repeatedly requested that Justice Binta Nyako recuse herself from the matter. This request followed Nyako’s prior recusal from the case, and on February 10, 2025, she adjourned the trial indefinitely after Kanu insisted that she could no longer fairly preside over the case.
On March 8, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed that he had received official letters from both the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Chief Judge John Tsoho, informing him of the reassignment. However, later online reports falsely claimed that Tsoho had personally taken over the case and withdrawn from it, along with unsubstantiated allegations that Kanu’s arrest was unlawful.
Responding to these claims, Sulaiman Hassan, the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, issued a statement on Tuesday, calling the reports “entirely unfounded, fictitious, and grossly mischievous.”
“The true position is that Honourable Justice Tsoho, in his capacity as Chief Judge, reassigned Nnamdi Kanu’s case from Honourable Justice Binta Nyako to another judge,” Hassan clarified. He emphasized that the reports circulating online were baseless and urged the defense team to prepare for instructions from the newly assigned judge.
The court further cautioned against the spread of misinformation, urging the public to rely on official sources for any updates on the case.
