Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has referred a motion filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, back to the Chief Judge (CJ) of the court for reassignment.
Kanu had, through his counsel, Uchenna Njoku, SAN, sought an order directing his transfer from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the National Hospital, Abuja, for urgent medical attention.
Judge Cites End of Court Vacation
Delivering a short ruling, Justice Liman explained that the matter could not be determined during the court’s annual vacation, which ends today, September 15.
“Not less than 30 cases were listed for today’s proceedings by the registrar, and since the court cannot take all, they were pruned down to six,” the judge stated.
“In line with Section 46(8) of the Federal High Court Rules, any case that cannot be completed within the vacation period must be sent back to the Chief Judge for reassignment.”
The judge noted that while Kanu’s application was urgent on health grounds, it was filed too late for the vacation court to handle.
DSS Counsel Does Not Oppose Motion
Counsel to the DSS, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, did not oppose Njoku’s application for reassignment. However, he stressed that the late filing contributed to the delay.
“Had it been that they filed the application earlier, it would have been taken during vacation. But we are ready to take the motion any time, any day,” Awomolo said.
He added that case management ultimately rests with the court, which decides the order of proceedings.
Next Steps
With Justice Liman’s order, the case file has been referred to the registry for reassignment by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
This development means that a new judge will now be appointed to hear Kanu’s motion seeking medical transfer, once regular court sittings resume after vacation.
Federal High Court Refers Nnamdi Kanu’s Medical Motion to Chief Judge for Reassignment
