Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has struck out an ex-parte motion filed by the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Facility.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Kanu’s lawyer, Demdoo Asan, a senior legal officer with the Legal Aid Council, told the court that he wished to withdraw from the case, citing irreconcilable issues with his client.
Demdoo explained that, despite constant phone communication, Kanu’s relatives did not show up at the Legal Aid office to depose to the application, as previously promised.
He further alleged that Kanu attempted to dictate what counsel should say in court, saying: “He wants to write down what I would say while in court. But, as an officer of the court, I can’t in good faith accept that.”
After consulting with his superiors, Demdoo invoked Order 50, Rule 1 of the Federal High Court Rules to formally withdraw from the matter, stating that the applicant could seek legal representation elsewhere if dissatisfied.
Justice Omotosho commended Demdoo and the Legal Aid Council for upholding the dignity of the court and granted them leave to withdraw.
He also ruled that the motion was incompetent and ordered that other parties be served with notice, noting that no proof of service had been filed since the last sitting on December 8, 2025.
The judge subsequently struck out Kanu’s ex-parte motion for lack of competence, emphasizing the need for fairness and proper legal procedure.
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