A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday struck out a request to transfer Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu from custody in Sokoto to Abuja, where he is serving a life sentence.
Justice James Omotosho dismissed the application after it was withdrawn following the exit of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON) from Kanu’s defense. Demdoo Asan, a senior legal officer with the council, told the court he was withdrawing from the case, citing irreconcilable differences.
“Since the last adjourned date, I have been in constant phone communication with the relatives of the applicant. However, they did not show up at our office to submit the application, despite phone calls and repeated promises,”
Mr Asan said. He added that the applicant had sought to control what counsel would say in court and even attempted to write down his submissions. “As an officer of the court, I cannot in good faith accept that,” he explained. Mr Asan also said he had consulted with his superiors, who shared the same view.
Invoking Order 50, Rule 1 of the Federal High Court Rules, Mr Asan formally withdrew from the matter, noting that the applicant could seek legal representation elsewhere if he wished.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho commended the counsel for upholding the dignity of the court. “Having listened to counsel from the Legal Aid Council, I grant leave for the counsel and the Legal Aid generally to withdraw from representing the defendant,” he said.
The judge described the motion for Kanu’s transfer as “incompetent.” He also directed that other parties involved in the matter be served with the processes filed, in the interest of justice, noting that no proof of service had been submitted between the last court sitting on December 8, 2025 and Tuesday, January 27.
The judge consequently struck out the ex-parte motion for lacking competence. LACON had entered the matter after the court rejected a similar attempt by Kanu’s brother, who is not a lawyer, to move the application on behalf of the Biafra agitator.