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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has declined hearing on a motion filed by detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking an order transferring him from the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) to National Hospital in Abuja, for urgent medical attention.
Justice Musa Liman said he lacked the jurisdiction to hear the application as his fiat to sit as a vacation judge ends today, September 15.
Rather, the judge ordered that the case file be returned to the registry for the Chief Judge to reassign it to another judge.
While Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, appeared as counsel for the Federal Government, Uchenna Njoku, SAN, stood for the IPOB leader at yesterday’s proceedings.
When the matter was called, Kanu’s lawyer, informed the judge that the motion by Kanu was filed on September 1,while a counter affidavit of 37 paragraphs opposing the transfer request was served on him by government in the open court.
He, however, said he had not read the counter affidavit for him to respond.
Njoku, therefore, applied for an adjournment to enable him respond to the counter affidavit and in view of the fact that the vacation of the judge had come to an end.
On his part, Awomolo ,SAN, did not oppose the adjournment request and that he would be ready to be in court anytime, anyway a new date is fixed.
In a brief ruling, Justice Liman ordered that the case file be returned to the Registry for the Chief Judge to reassign the matter to another Judge.
Justice Liman said that he would make recommendation to the Chief Judge for the speedy hearing of the motion since health of the applicant is involved.
Kanu,had in the motion with charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, sought an order of the court for the DSS to move him from its custody to the National Hospital for urgent medical care.
The Biafra agitator, who premised his application on 11-grounds,said he is presently standing trial before Justice James Omotosho in charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.
He said he had on May 19, filed an application praying the court to admit him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the terrorism charge.
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Kanu Agabi,who filed the grounds of arguments, however, said that the said application could not be taken before the annual vacation of the court, hence his continued detention.
According to him, while awaiting the resumption of the court activities, the applicant’s health took a worrisome decline, necessitating the invitation of doctors for the purpose of carrying out a thorough and extensive examination on the applicant.
“The examination revealed issues to his health including organs such as his pancreas and liver as well as an emerging lump underneath his armpit and dangerously low levels of potassium.
“The doctors have recommended that he be moved to the National Hospital as an interim measure to afford him medical attention and forestall further decline.
“The applicant’s health is seriously deteriorating considering the nature of his confinement ,thereby making more pressing, the need to bring this application and have same heard by a vacation judge,” Agabi said.
He alleged that a letter by the doctors to the Director-General of the DSS, advising the transfer of Kanu had gone without answer.
He said the urgency of the matter had, therefore, necessitated the filing of the application as a measure to arrest further decline of his health while spirited efforts are being expended to ensure his treatment.”
The senior lawyer said that the grant of the application would not occasion any injustice on the complainant (DSS).
Besides, Agabi said the court “is imbued with jurisdiction to hear and grant the prayers sought in the application.”
Emmanuel Kanu, the younger brother to Nnamdi Kanu, in the affidavit he deposed to, averred that the IPOB leader recently complained of weakness and pains in his body.
He said this “prompted the invitation of doctors led by the Eminent Emeritus Professor Austin A.C. Agaji, who on September 1, 2025, at about 2:30pm,” told him that several tests were conducted on Kanu in August.
Emmanuel said the doctor told him, at Agabi’s law firm, that it was discovered that the IPOB leader was suffering from issues relating to his liver and kidney as well as dangerously low level of potassium.
“He was further diagnosed of a swelling around his armpit area,which requires urgent attention to ascertain the cause and thereafter to seek appropriate medical treatment,” he averred.
