A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday issued an order barring a lady identified as Favour from attending proceedings in the ongoing trial terrorism trial of the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The lady, who is said to be sister-in-law to Kanu, was also barred from further entering the premises of the court in Abuja, except where she is personally involved in any case in the court.

Justice James Omotosho issued the orders after holding her in contempt of the court for engaging in live broadcast and publicity of the court?s proceedings on her social media platform.

Justice Omotosho averred that Favour was habitually broadcasting the live proceedings of the court and inviting comments from her followers.

The judge said Favour?s conduct was disrespectful of the institution of the court and amounted to contempt in the face of the court.

Justice Omotosho averred that Favour was habitually broadcasting the live proceedings of the court and inviting comments from her followers.

The judge said Favour?s conduct was disrespectful of the institution of the court and amounted to contempt in the face of the court.

Justice Omotosho averred that Favour was habitually broadcasting the live proceedings of the court and inviting comments from her followers.

The judge said Favour?s conduct was disrespectful of the institution of the court and amounted to contempt in the face of the court.

In an earlier ruling, Justice Omotosho upheld the objection raised by Kanu?s legal team to the admissibility of statements obtained from the defendant by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the absence of his lawyers.Justice Omotosho marked the statements rejected and expunged from the court?s record video recordings of the interview/statement-writing sessions that Kanu had with DSS officials in October 2015.

The video recordings were earlier admitted in evidence by the court during Wednesday?s proceedings and marked Exhibits PWQ and PWR.

In continuing his testimony yesterday, the third prosecution witness (PW3), who was led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Suraj Saida (SAN), identified a video recording of an interview session Kanu had with an online platform, Sarahara Reporters. The video was admitted by the court in evidence and later played.

In the video, Kanu calls Nigeria a zoo, making allegations against some prominent Igbo figures and threatening to deal with them.

Kanu accused former Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Ike Nwanchukwu, of killing the Igbo. He also accused ex-Anambra Governor Jim Nwobodo of betraying Alex Ekwueme, a fellow Igbo man, among others.

Kanu also accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, Peter Obi, of killing some Igbos and having their bodies dumped in a river. He accused former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha of Islamising the state.

Also in the video, Kanu could be seen threatening violence if his Biafra objective was not achieved.

?If they do not give us Biafra, there will be nothing living in the zoo. Nothing will survive there.

?I do not see Biafra happening peacefully. There is no freedom out of a peaceful process,? he said.

Welcoming the attack on Enugu State?s Government House, Kanu promised to support anything that would overthrow what he called the existing corrupt establishment.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), the PW3 said he did not investigate the veracity of Kanu?s allegations against the prominent Igbo indigenes he called out.

The witness, an operative of the DSS, said his assignment was only to ascertain from Kanu if he granted the interview, which he said the defendant confirmed.

The PW3 said he was not aware that Nwanchukwu, Nwobodo, Okorocha and Obi, whom Kanu accused in the interview, were killed after the last National Conference.

Further hearing in the case has been adjourned till June 13. (The Nation)

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