Etim Effiong
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, will begin the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu in his absence.
Five prosecution witnesses are expected to testify against Kanu, according to a hearing notice from the court.
The notice was served on the Federal Government’s prosecution team and the defendant’s counsel Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Kanu is charged with treasonable felony. In 2017, he was granted bail for health reasons, but he fled the country afterwards.
Justice Binta Nyako, who granted him bail, revoked it and ordered that he be arrested.
But Kanu’s lawyer argued that he left the country because of the invasion of his family’s residence in Abia State by soldiers during a military exercise. He prayed the court to restore the bail to enable the defendant to return to Nigeria for trial, but the judge refused to grant the request.