Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was conspicuously missing for his scheduled trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
The State Security Service (SSS) failed to produce Kanu in court and while that may have informed the adjournment it was also reliably gathered that the court’s judges’ vacation which started on Monday contributed the to the decision.
The trial judge, Binta Nyako adjourned the case till October 21.
Earlier, the prosecuting lawyer, M. B Abubakar, informed the judge that Mr Kanu’s absence from the court might be due to “logistical” issues encountered by the SSS, the agency holding him in custody.
However, Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, countered the prosecution’s position, saying the IPOB leader had been taken away out of Abuja.
The separatist, who was granted bail in April 2017, fled the country after the invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, by the military in September.
Mr Kanu was rearrested and brought back to Nigeria in June, about four years after his trial on charges of treasonable felony was stalled due to his disappearance from the country.
