Court Returns Kanu’s Medical Motion To Chief Judge for Reassignment

Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja has referred back to the Chief Judge, a motion filed by the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking transfer to the National Hospital, Abuja, for urgent medical treatment.

In a brief ruling on Monday, Justice Liman directed that the case file be sent back for reassignment, noting that the annual vacation of the court would end on September 15.

At the resumed hearing, Kanu’s counsel, Uchenna Njoku (SAN), urged the court to grant the motion, but the judge explained that the application came too late to be considered during the vacation period.

“Not less than 30 cases were listed for today’s proceedings. Since the court could not take all, they were pruned down to six. In line with Section 46(8) of the FHC Rules, any case that could not be completed within the vacation period must be sent back to the CJ for reassignment,” Justice Liman said.

He added that though the matter was urgent on health grounds, “it was filed late.”

Counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), did not oppose the move for reassignment but faulted the timing of the application.

“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.

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He stressed that in case management, the court has the discretion to determine which matters to hear during vacation.

Following the submissions, Justice Liman ordered that Kanu’s case file be forwarded to the registry for reassignment by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.